买

mǎi v.

To exchange money or goods for something in return. To buy, purchase, or obtain anything; also to win over or bribe.

Common Usage & Traps

  • 买东西 (mǎi dōngxi) — to buy things / go shopping
  • 买一个 (mǎi yí ge) — to buy one (of something)
  • 买什么 (mǎi shénme) — to buy what / what are you buying
  • 买衣服 (mǎi yīfu) — to buy clothes
  • 买不买 (mǎi bu mǎi) — to buy or not / whether to buy
  • 买钱 换钱 or 花钱

    买 needs the thing you get. Cash is what you hand over, not what you normally buy.

  • 买一个东西们 买东西 or 买一个东西

    们 attaches to people, not objects. 东西 does not take 们.

  • 我买他 我在他那儿买的 or 我买他的东西

    我买他 sounds like you bought him as a person. Use 在...那儿 or 他的 to show the seller.

买 vs 卖: How to remember which one is buy and which is sell?

卖 (mài) has a 十 (price tag) on top because you put a price tag on goods to sell them. 买 (mǎi) has no price tag because you take goods in. 卖 gives away, 买 takes home.

The extra 十 on 卖 is your mental anchor. Imagine a seller sticking a price tag on the goods. When the tag is gone, you are the buyer taking the item home. Tone also helps: 买 is mǎi, 卖 is mài. Mixing them up flips who gets the money.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Character shape卖 has 十 on topMixing up 买 and 卖
Transaction direction买 takes home; 卖 gives awayRemembering by tone alone
Everyday example我买这个 (I'll buy this)我卖这个 when you mean buy

Can you just shout 买 to a shopkeeper?

You can answer 买 if asked 'Do you want it?', but shouting 买 at a shopkeeper sounds like a command, not 'I'll take it.'

Chinese often uses 要 for 'I want this' in a shop. A bare 买 works as a short answer to a yes/no question. It does not work as a polite request or order to the seller. Add the item or use 我要这个 to sound normal.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Answering a yes/no question买!买! as a request to staff
Choosing in a shop我要这个 / 我买这个买!
TonePolite and clearBarking 买 at the owner

Why does 买东西 mean go shopping but 买一个东西 sounds like exactly one object?

买东西 is the everyday phrase for shopping; 买一个东西 is literal and pins the purchase to one item.

东西 without a number acts like a general category of goods. Adding 一个 makes the sentence count exactly one object. Both are correct, but they say different things. If you just mean shopping, say 买东西.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
General shopping买东西买一个东西 for general shopping
Exactly one item买一个东西买东西 if you mean exactly one
Literal translationEveryday phraseBuy east west

Can you say 我买他 for 'I bought it from him'?

No; 我买他 sounds like you bought him. Say 我在他那儿买的 or 我买他的东西.

买 needs the thing you bought after it, not the person. To show the seller, use 在...那儿 or 他的. 我给他买 means you bought it for him, not from him. Keep the person out of the direct slot after 买.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Buy from him我在他那儿买的 / 我买他的东西我买他
Buy for him我给他买我买他
Literal person-buying我买他 if you really mean buying a personUsing 我买他 for normal shopping

Appears in Stories 17 stories

Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.

《很贵的苹果》 (The Expensive Apples) HSK 1
~2 min read 137 chars
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This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.

  • 今天白天的时候,我去我家这边的超市 买 东西。

  • 我 买 了三个小苹果,两个大苹果。

《一家人》 (Our Family Day) HSK 1
~1 min read 47 chars
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This simple story introduces you to a family and what each member likes to do. Learn helpful words for food and daily activities as you read about Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, and the kids.

  • 姐姐 买 衣服。

《一到十二月》 (Twelve Months of Love) HSK 1
~2 min read 108 chars
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Welcome! This short poem helps you practice the months, weekdays, and mealtimes in Chinese. Read it aloud and notice the rhythm. You already know many of these words!

  • 星期日和天,日日和爱人,超市 买 菜米,回家做饭忙。

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