What does 买 mean in Chinese?

买 (mǎi) means "to buy" in Chinese. The new HSK exam expects you to recognise it at HSK 1.

How do you write 买?

买 is written with 6 strokes, starting from the 乙 (second) radical and following standard Chinese stroke order (top to bottom, left to right). See the interactive stroke-order tool for the full animation.

What is the radical of 买?

The radical of 买 is 乙 (second, Kangxi radical #5). Other common HSK characters using the same radical include 了, 习, 书, 也.

How many strokes does 买 have?

The Chinese character 买 has 6 strokes.

What HSK level is 买?

On the new HSK exam syllabus, 买 is a character to recognise at HSK 1.

买 (mǎi): Meaning, Stroke Order, Radical & Examples

买

mǎi

to buy

HSK 1 character 6 strokes Radical: 乙 (second)

Quick Answer

买 (mǎi) means "to buy" with 6 strokes, radical 乙 (second), HSK 1 on the new exam.

Full dictionary entry for 买 →Animated stroke-order for 买 →

Pronunciation

mǎi

Meaning

Primary: to buy

Etymology

Oracle-bone origin

The traditional form 買 shows 网 (a net) over 貝 (a cowrie shell used as early currency). The image is of catching or gathering shells, i.e. acquiring money goods through exchange. The simplified form 买 replaces 貝 with a schematic base and keeps the net component on top.

Form evolution

Oracle-bone and bronze forms clearly drew a net of woven cords above a stylised cowrie. Seal script regularised the net into 罒 and the cowrie into the familiar 貝. Clerical script straightened the curves, and the PRC 1956 simplification dropped 貝 and most of 罒, leaving the modern 买 with only a head stroke echoing the old net.

How the meaning evolved

The original sense was to acquire goods by paying shells, and that core meaning of purchasing has stayed stable for over three thousand years. It later extended metaphorically to buying favour or winning someone over, as in 买通 (bribe) and 买账 (accept someone's authority). In modern Mandarin it is the everyday verb for any commercial purchase.

Cultural note

买 and its opposite 卖 (sell) share the 买 component precisely because 卖 was built by adding 士 on top of 買 to mean releasing what one had bought. Learners often confuse the two, but the rule is that the taller character is 卖 because goods go out.