卖 (mài) — to sell
Definition
The everyday verb 'to sell' goods or items. 出售 is a more formal, written equivalent; 出卖 adds the sense of 'betraying' a person or cause, not selling things.
verb
to sell
Examples
- 卖。Tā zài shāng diàn mài píng guǒ.He sells apples at the store.
- 卖？Nǐ mài zhè běn shū ma?Are you selling this book?
- 卖。Wǒ mài le sān gè miàn bāo.I sold three pieces of bread.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 賣; 卖 is its simplified writing.
- 出出chūgo out
- 買買mǎibuy
The traditional form 賣 came from an older shape that joined 出 (go out) with 買 (buy), which gives the sound. The simplified 卖 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.
Appears in
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