(mǎi) - to buy & to purchase

Tone 3

mǎi | 6 strokes | radical: 乛

· mǎi

to buy;

to purchase;

to bribe;

to secure by effort

to buyto purchaseto bribe

Usage highlights

to buyshoppingbuyerpurchase orderbuy a housebuy groceries

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I want to buy a book (买书).
  • She went shopping (买东西).
  • He bought a house (买房).
  • We need to buy groceries (买菜).

Collocations

  • to buy(购买)
  • shopping(买东西)
  • buyer(买方)
  • purchase order(买单)
  • buy a house(买房)
  • buy groceries(买菜)

Idioms

  • Buying the pearl and returning the casket(买椟还珠)
  • Buying a horse bone with a thousand pieces of gold(千金买骨)
  • Winning people's hearts with money(买人心)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of 'buying' extends beyond commerce to include securing loyalty or favor.
  • The character appears in many commercial and financial contexts, reflecting the importance of trade in Chinese society.

FAQ