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March 24, 2026
买(買)mǎi(mai3)
The character 买 (mǎi) means 'to buy' or 'to purchase.' It is commonly used in everyday transactions and shopping contexts. In addition to its primary meaning, it can also imply the act of persuading or bribing in certain contexts, but this usage is less common.
Strokes6Radical大Frequency#246DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, haggling is common in markets where 买 is frequently used. The ability to negotiate is seen as a skill, making the act of buying not just a transaction but also a social interaction.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person holding a large 'M' shaped bag filled with money, excitedly 'buying' items at a market. The shape of the bag (M) reminds you of the sound 'mǎi' and its meaning of purchasing.
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AI Study Notes for 买
Quick Contrast
卖 (mài) - use 买 (mǎi) when referring to the action of purchasing, while 卖 (mài) refers to the act of selling.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 买 with other verbs like 卖 (mài), which means 'to sell.' Remember that 买 is used when you are obtaining something. It is generally informal, so it fits well in conversational contexts such as shopping dialogues.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 买 helps students understand basic transactional vocabulary. Focus on using it in simple sentences related to shopping and incorporate it with other basic verbs like 卖 (to sell) for contrast.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 买 (mǎi) with 卖 (mài), leading to sentences like '我想卖这个' (Wǒ xiǎng mài zhège) which incorrectly means 'I want to sell this.' The correct form should be '我想买这个' (Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 买
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Pictograph of money (貝) coming out of a netted bag (网). The simplified character 买 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 買.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 买?
Decomposition of 买
IDS Structure⿱乛头
买Full Character
=
乛ya5
top
头tou2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 买?
How to say to buy in Chinese
“to buy” in Chinese is买mǎi
The character 买 (mǎi) means 'to buy' or 'to purchase.' It is commonly used in everyday transactions and shopping contexts. In addition to its primary meaning, it can also imply the act of persuading or bribing in certain contexts, but this usage is less common.
When to use 买
Learners often confuse 买 with other verbs like 卖 (mài), which means 'to sell.' Remember that 买 is used when you are obtaining something. It is generally informal, so it fits well in conversational contexts such as shopping dialogues.
买 or something close to it
卖 (mài) - use 买 (mǎi) when referring to the action of purchasing, while 卖 (mài) refers to the act of selling.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 买 (mǎi) with 卖 (mài), leading to sentences like '我想卖这个' (Wǒ xiǎng mài zhège) which incorrectly means 'I want to sell this.' The correct form should be '我想买这个' (Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège).
Write 买
买
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Practice writing 买 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 买
买 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.
