買かう

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

value highly; think highly of; appreciate

Used when someone recognizes and values a person's ability, qualities, experience, or potential. Common in forms such as 才能を買う and 実力を買われる.

• 社しゃ長ちょうは彼かれの営えい業ぎょう力りょくを買かっている。

  The company president thinks highly of his sales ability.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

incur; invite; arouse; win favor

Used with an emotional or social reaction as the object. It is often negative, as in 怒りを買う, 反感を買う, ひんしゅくを買う, or 失笑を買う, but can also be positive in phrases such as 歓心を買う.

• 不ふ用よう意いな発はつ言げんが客きゃくの怒いかりを買かった。

  The careless remark incurred the customer's anger.

• 彼かれはお世せ辞じで上じょう司しの歓かん心しんを買かおうとした。

  He tried to win his boss's favor with flattery.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

take up; accept; take on

Limited idiomatic use for accepting or taking up something offered, especially a provocation or challenge. Do not use it as a general replacement for 受ける or 引き受ける.

• 売うられた喧けん嘩かを買かうな。

  Don't take up a fight someone is trying to pick with you.

godan verb (-u), transitive verb

pay for a prostitute; hire a geisha

Adult and blunt use for paying for sexual services, especially in 女を買う. The geisha-related use is old-fashioned or historical in feel.

• 彼かれは金かねで女おんなを買かうようなまねはしない。

  He would never do something like pay for a woman.

• 古ふるい小しょう説せつには「芸げい者しゃを買かう」という表ひょう現げんが出でてくる。

  The expression “hire a geisha” appears in old novels.