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贾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
jiǎmerchant; to buy, to trade; surnamenr, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #6099, Hard
jiǎsurname Jiaunknown, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #6099, Hard
merchant; to buy, to trade; surnamenr, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #6099, Hard
surname Jiaunknown, 10 strokes, radical 贝, rank #6099, Hard
(gu3)
primary
T3
  1. 1merchant; to buy, to trade; surname
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(賈)(gu3)

The character 贾 (gǔ) primarily refers to a merchant or trader, emphasizing the act of buying and selling goods. It can also be used as a surname, particularly in the context of Chinese family names. The character encapsulates the essence of commerce and trade in Chinese culture.

Strokes10RadicalFrequency#6099DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, merchants have historically played a significant role in the economy and community, often being seen as vital to the flow of goods and services. The character 贾 reflects this importance and the long-standing tradition of trade in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bustling market where a merchant (贾) is trading goods. The top part of the character resembles a roof, symbolizing a marketplace, while the bottom part suggests the idea of transactions happening beneath it. Picture the merchant shouting 'gǔ' as he negotiates prices.

Meanings of 贾

(gu3)
primary
1merchant; to buy, to trade; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 贾

Simplified
Traditional
10Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 贾

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 贾

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a bustling market where a merchant (贾) is trading goods. The top part of the character resembles a roof, symbolizing a marketplace, while the bottom part suggests the idea of transactions happening beneath it. Picture the merchant shouting 'gǔ' as he negotiates prices.

Usage Notes

When using the character 贾, remember that it can denote both the profession of a merchant and a surname, so context is crucial. It is typically used in formal contexts when discussing trade or commerce. Be careful with tone; 'gǔ' should not be confused with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 贾 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it can be related to other words about commerce and trade at HSK level 3 and above. Students should focus on the context in which 贾 is used, especially in business conversations.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, merchants have historically played a significant role in the economy and community, often being seen as vital to the flow of goods and services. The character 贾 reflects this importance and the long-standing tradition of trade in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 贾 with 价 (jià), which means price. For example, saying '我想买这个贾' (I want to buy this merchant) instead of '我想买这个价' (I want to buy this at this price) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 贾

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Etymology of 贾

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 襾 represents the sound. Simplified form of 賈.

Memory Hint

money

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 贾?

Decomposition of 贾

IDS Structure⿱覀贝
Full Character
=
xi1
top
Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 贾?

Write 贾

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 贾

贾 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

据我所知,____森算得上是个好人。

As far as I can tell, Jason is basically a nice guy.

Example Sentences for 贾 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
据我所知,贾森算得上是个好人。

jù wǒ suǒ zhī, , jiǎ sēn suàn dé shàng shì gè hǎo。

As far as I can tell, Jason is basically a nice guy.
2
杰克不会同意贾尼斯还在上学就结婚。

jié kè bù huì tóng yì jiǎ ní sī huán zài shàng xué jiù jié hūn。

Jake would not countenance Janis's marrying while still a student.
3
她得意地笑着把雪茄给贾森递了回去。

tā dé yì dì xiào zháo bǎ xuě qié gěi jiǎ sēn dì le huí qù。

She handed the cigar back to Jason with a self-satisfied smile.
4
“抱歉出去一下,”她对贾维斯说,然后离开了房间。

“ “ bào qiàn chū qù yī,” xià ,” tā duì jiǎ wéi, sī shuō , rán hòu lí kāi。

"Excuse me," she said to Jarvis, and left the room.
5
贾森已经脱下夹克,松开了领带。

jiǎ sēn yǐ jīng tuō xià jiā kè, , sōng kāi le lǐng。

Jason had taken off his jacket and loosened his tie.
6
在南非,贾尼可谓塘中无鱼虾为大。

zài nán fēi, , jiǎ ní kě wèi táng zhōng wú yú xiā wéi。

In South Africa, Jani was a big fish in a small pond.
7
1358年击败锡耶纳之后佩鲁贾的影响力达到了顶峰。

1358 1358 nián jī bài xī yé nà zhī hòu pèi lǔ jiǎ de yǐng xiǎng lì dá dào le dǐng。

The zenith of Perugia'sinfluence came with the defeat of Siena in
8
向新科冠军本·贾利·达阿尔布雷致敬。

xiàng xīn kē guān jūn běn· · jiǎ· lì · dá ā ěr bù léi。

Hail to the new champion Bengali D'Albret.
9
“贾尔斯今早来电话了,”米雷拉装作若无其事地说。

“ “ jiǎ ěr sī jīn zǎo lái diàn huà,” le ,” mǐ léi lā zhuāng zuò ruò wú qí shì。

"Giles phoned this morning," Mirella said with feigned indifference.
10
贾尔斯,我想了解一下激光. 你对此题已读过不少资料, 而我却一无所知.

jiǎ ěr sī, , wǒ xiǎng le jiě yī xià jī. guāng . nǐ duì cǐ tí yǐ dú guò bù shǎo, zī liào , ér wǒ què yī.

I want to know something, Giles, about laser beams. You've read the subject up, but I know nothing about it.

Cultural Notes for 贾

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, merchants have historically played a significant role in the economy and community, often being seen as vital to the flow of goods and services. The character 贾 reflects this importance and the long-standing tradition of trade in Chinese society.

Word Family of 贾

Words Containing This Character10
merchant
贾庆林Jia Qinglin (1940-), member of the Politburo Standing Committee 2002-2012賈慶林
内贾德abbr. for 艾哈邁迪內賈德|艾哈迈迪内贾德內賈德
商贾shānggǔmerchant商賈
贾宝玉Jia Baoyu, male character in The Dream of Red Mansions, in love with his cousin Lin Daiyu 林黛玉 but obliged to marry Xue Baochai 薛寶釵|薛宝钗賈寶玉
贾平凹Jia Pingwa (1952-), Chinese novelist賈平凹
拉夫桑贾尼Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani拉夫桑賈尼
贾南德拉Gyanendra of Nepal賈南德拉
阿布贾Abuja, capital of Nigeria阿布賈
贾谊Jia Yi (200-168 BC), Chinese poet and statesman of the Western Han Dynasty賈誼
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 贾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 贾

In modern usage, 贾 refers to merchants and can still denote buying or trading goods.