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Kotomora

買

buy

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 2FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • バイ

Kun'yomi

  • か.う

Meaning

買 centers on the act of purchasing: exchanging money for goods. Its single core meaning is straightforward and concrete.

Most common words using 買

23 of 216
  • 買うかう
    N5

    to buy; to purchase

  • 買いかい

    buying; shopping

  • 買い物かいもの
    N5

    shopping; purchased goods

  • 買収ばいしゅう
    N1

    acquisition (esp. corporate); buy-out; takeover; purchase

  • 売買ばいばい
    N2

    trade; buying and selling; trafficking (e.g. of humans, arms, drugs); dealing

  • 買取かいとり

    purchase; buying; buying out

  • 購買こうばい
    N1

    procurement; purchase; buying

  • 買い上げかいあげ

    buying; purchasing; procurement

  • お買い得おかいどく
    N2

    bargain; good buy; budget

  • 買い手かいて
    N1

    buyer

  • 買い出しかいだし

    going out to shop; going shopping

  • 買い占めかいしめ

    buying up of goods; cornering (market)

  • 買い付けかいつけ

    buying (in large quantities); (wholesale) purchase; buying in

  • 買い戻しかいもどし

    repurchase; redemption

  • 買い入れかいいれ

    buying; purchasing; laying in

  • 買い得かいどく

    bargain; good buy

  • 買い占めるかいしめる
    N1

    to buy up

  • 買い控えかいびかえ

    restrained buying

  • 青田買いあおたがい

    speculatively buying a rice harvest, while the fields are still green

  • 購買力こうばいりょく

    buying power; purchasing power

  • 買い入れるかいいれる

    to purchase; to buy in

  • 仲買なかがい
    N1

    brokerage; broker

  • ドル買いドルかい

    dollar purchase

Explore all words using 買 →

Study

Etymology

買 combines ⺫ (a net-like component) with 貝 (shell, an ancient currency), suggesting the idea of gathering shells to make a purchase.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a net ⺫ draped over a pile of shells 貝, the old form of money. You gather shells in the net to go buy something.

Reading mnemonic

For バイ, imagine you are at a market and you want to buy a bicycle: buy -> バイ. The sound of 'buy' is almost exactly the on'yomi, and you are buying with shells.