Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
购 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
购
gòu
to buy
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 贝, rank #7924, Very Hard
购
gòu
to purchase
HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 贝, rank #7924, Very Hard
gòu(gou4)gou T4
1to buy
2to purchase
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
购(購)gòu(gou4)
The character 购 (gòu) means 'to buy' or 'to purchase.' It is commonly used in commercial contexts, such as shopping or acquiring goods and services. The term conveys a sense of transaction and is often paired with words related to finance and commerce.
Strokes8Radical贝Frequency#7924DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, shopping is often seen as a social activity, especially during festivals where people purchase gifts. The term 购 is frequently seen in advertisements and promotions, especially during shopping events like Singles' Day (双十一).
Memory tip
Imagine a person at a market holding a gold coin (金), ready to buy (购) fresh vegetables. The sound 'gòu' is like 'go' in English, encouraging you to go out and make a purchase.
Meanings of 购
gòu(gou4)
1to buy
2to purchase
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 购 means.
About 购
购Simplified
購Traditional
8Strokes
贝Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7924Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 购
Podcast: 购
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 购
Quick Contrast
购 (gòu) vs 买 (mǎi) — 购 is often used in formal or commercial contexts, while 买 is more casual and general.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 购 with 买 (mǎi), which also means 'to buy.' 购 is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 买 is more colloquial. Be careful with the second tone in gòu, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
购 is not included in HSK levels but is relevant for learners aiming for higher proficiency in business or commerce. Focus on recognizing it in written texts and understanding its usage in formal transactions.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing 购 with the verb 买, as learners might use 购 in casual settings where 买 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我购一个苹果' (I buy an apple) is less natural than '我买一个苹果.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 购
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 购, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 购 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 购?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 购 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
购 = 贝 + 勾. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 购
IDS Structure⿰贝勾
购Full character
=
贝Bei4
left
勾Gou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 购?
How to say to buy in Chinese
“to buy” in Chinese is购gòu
The character 购 (gòu) means 'to buy' or 'to purchase.' It is commonly used in commercial contexts, such as shopping or acquiring goods and services. The term conveys a sense of transaction and is often paired with words related to finance and commerce.
When to use 购
Learners often confuse 购 with 买 (mǎi), which also means 'to buy.' 购 is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 买 is more colloquial. Be careful with the second tone in gòu, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.
购 or something close to it
购 (gòu) vs 买 (mǎi) — 购 is often used in formal or commercial contexts, while 买 is more casual and general.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is confusing 购 with the verb 买, as learners might use 购 in casual settings where 买 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我购一个苹果' (I buy an apple) is less natural than '我买一个苹果.'
Write 购
购
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 购 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 购
购 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 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.
They had to buy everything at inflated prices at the ranch store.
10
警方的射击手开火回击时，购物者们躲在汽车后面。
jǐng fāng de shèjī shǒu kāi huǒ huí jī shí， gòuwù zhě men duǒ zài qìchē hòumiàn。
Shoppers took cover behind cars as police marksmen returned fire.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 购?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 购
Words containing this character20
购物gòuwùshopping購物
购买gòumǎito buy購買
购gòuto buy購
收购shōugòuto acquire (a company)收購
采购cǎigòuto purchase採購
订购dìnggòuto subscribe訂購
认购rèngòuto undertake to purchase sth認購
抢购qiǎnggòuto buy frenetically搶購
选购xuǎngòuto buy選購
并购bìnggòuacquisition併購
购置gòuzhìto purchase購置
邮购yóugòumail order郵購
定购dìnggòuto order goods定購
代购dàigòuto buy (on behalf of sb)代購
购买力gòumǎilìpurchasing power購買力
购物中心gòuwùzhōngxīnshopping center購物中心
购买者gòumǎizhěpurchaser購買者
购得gòudéto purchase購得
采购员cǎigòuyuánbuyer採購員
导购dǎogòushopper's guide導購
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 购
What does 购物 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 购
Both 购 (gòu) and 买 (mǎi) mean 'to buy,' but 购 is often used in more formal contexts or in written language, while 买 is more colloquial. For instance, you might see 购 in business or legal documents.
Yes, while 购 (gòu) is more formal, it can still be used in everyday conversation, especially in contexts like shopping or discussing purchases. However, most people tend to use 买 (mǎi) in casual situations.
购 (gòu) means 'to buy' or 'to purchase' in Chinese. It is commonly used in various contexts related to buying goods or services. For example, you might see it in phrases like 购物 (gòuwù), which means 'shopping.'
You can use 购 (gòu) in sentences like '我想购一本书' (Wǒ xiǎng gòu yī běn shū), which means 'I want to buy a book.' It is often paired with other words to specify what is being purchased.
购 is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 买 is more common in everyday conversations.
Yes, but it is more commonly used for larger or more significant purchases rather than everyday items.
Absolutely, 购 is frequently seen in the context of online commerce and advertisements.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 购?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
