買 (mǎi) - To buy, purchase & to engage in commerce

買Tone 3

mǎi ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

買 · mǎi

To buy, purchase;

to engage in commerce;

to value, esteem.

To buy, purchaseto engage in commerceto value, esteem.

Usage highlights

Purchase goodsBuy a houseBuy groceriesBuy insuranceBuy stocksBuy time

Synonyms

  • 购— to purchase, buy
  • 置— to purchase, acquire
  • 市— to buy, purchase (classical)

Antonyms

  • 卖— to sell
  • 售— to sell, vend
  • 贩— to deal in, peddle

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I need to buy groceries (买菜).
  • She purchased a new house (买房子).
  • He bought a gift for his friend (买礼物).
  • We should buy insurance (买保险).

Collocations

  • Purchase goods(买东西)
  • Buy a house(买房子)
  • Buy groceries(买菜)
  • Buy insurance(买保险)
  • Buy stocks(买股票)
  • Buy time(买时间)

Idioms

  • Buying a coffin without knowing death is near(买椟还珠)
  • Buying laughter with a thousand gold(千金买笑)
  • Buying neighbor's land to expand one's house(买田阳羡)
  • Buying bones with a thousand gold(千金买骨)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, buying and selling were governed by complex social rituals and trust relationships.
  • The character appears in many classical texts discussing commerce and value exchange.
  • In modern times, 买 represents consumer culture and economic activity.

FAQ