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商贾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
商贾shānggǔmerchantHSK 7, unknown, 21 strokes, Very Hard, formal, business, commerce, noun
shānggǔ(shang1gu3)shang gu T1
  1. 1merchant
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March 24, 2026

商贾(商賈)shānggǔ(shang1gu3)

商贾 refers to a merchant or trader, specifically someone involved in commerce or trade. It's often used in a historical or formal context to describe businesspeople who engage in buying and selling goods.

Strokes21DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In ancient China,商贾 played a vital role in the Silk Road trade, facilitating cultural exchange and economic growth. Today, the concept of merchants is still significant in Chinese culture, particularly during festivals where markets flourish.

Memory tip

Imagine a '商' (shang) sign hanging over a bustling market where '贾' (gu) sounds like 'guy', the merchant who is always negotiating deals. Picture this merchant as he navigates through vendors and customers, embodying the spirit of trade.

Meanings of 商贾

shānggǔ(shang1gu3)
1merchant
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

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About 商贾

商贾Simplified
商賈Traditional
21Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 商贾

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Podcast: 商贾

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AI study notes for 商贾

Quick Contrast

商人 (shāngrén) - use 商贾 for a more historical or formal connotation compared to the more common 商人.

Usage Notes

While 商贾 is correct for referring to merchants, it is a more literary term and may not be used frequently in casual conversation. In informal contexts, '商人' (shang1 ren2) is preferred. Be careful with the tones, as mispronouncing either character can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

商贾 is not an HSK vocabulary word, but it relates to commerce-related words you might encounter in HSK level 4 or 5, such as '买卖' (mai3 mai4, trade) and '商业' (shang1 ye4, business). Focus on the context of trade and economic discussions when studying.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 商贾 with just 商人, assuming they are interchangeable in all contexts. For instance, saying '我是一名商贾' (I am a merchant) may sound overly formal; '我是一名商人' is more appropriate in everyday speech.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 商贾

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Component characters

商Shāngthe Shang dynasty, 16th to 11th century BC
HSK 711 strokes口
View full entry
贾gǔmerchant; to buy, to trade; surname
10 strokes贝
View full entry

How to say merchant in Chinese

“merchant” in Chinese is商贾shānggǔ

商贾 refers to a merchant or trader, specifically someone involved in commerce or trade. It's often used in a historical or formal context to describe businesspeople who engage in buying and selling goods.

When to use 商贾

While 商贾 is correct for referring to merchants, it is a more literary term and may not be used frequently in casual conversation. In informal contexts, '商人' (shang1 ren2) is preferred. Be careful with the tones, as mispronouncing either character can change the meaning.

商贾 or something close to it

商人 (shāngrén) - use 商贾 for a more historical or formal connotation compared to the more common 商人.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 商贾 with just 商人, assuming they are interchangeable in all contexts. For instance, saying '我是一名商贾' (I am a merchant) may sound overly formal; '我是一名商人' is more appropriate in everyday speech.

Write 商贾

商
贾

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

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Common confusions with 商贾

商贾vs商
shāng

商 and 贾 both relate to commerce but have different meanings.

商贾vs贾
jiǎ

Similar sound but different meanings; 贾 often concerns buying.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “merchant”?

or

Usage Notes for 商贾

Misuse of 商贾Common Error

商贾 specifically refers to merchants or traders, not all business people.

1

商贾不是所有的商人。

商贾 does not refer to all business people.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____不是所有的商人。

商贾 does not refer to all business people.

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Frequently asked questions about 商贾

Yes, but it is more commonly found in literary or historical contexts; in daily conversation, people prefer '商人'.

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