Usage note
买的意思是用钱换东西。我们平时去商店或市场都可以用到这个字。
mǎi de yìsi shì yòng qián huàn dōngxi. wǒmen píngshí qù shāngdiàn huò shìchǎng dōu kěyǐ yòng dào zhège zì.
It means to exchange money for something. You can use this word whenever you go to a shop or market.
Context note
买东西时用这个字，比如在商店或市场付钱拿物品。
mǎi dōngxi shí yòng zhège zì, bǐrú zài shāngdiàn huò shìchǎng fùqián ná wùpǐn.
This word is used when you pay money to get something, like in a shop or market.
5 examples
我要买书
wǒ yào mǎi shū
I want to buy a book.
妈妈买了水果
mā ma mǎi le shuǐ guǒ
Mom bought some fruit.
他去商店买文具
tā qù shāng diàn mǎi wén jù
He went to the store to buy stationery.
我们一起去超市买菜
wǒ men yì qǐ qù chāo shì mǎi cài
Let's go to the supermarket to buy vegetables together.
爸爸在网上买了新电脑
bà ba zài wǎng shàng mǎi le xīn diàn nǎo
Dad bought a new computer online.
5 mini stories
小明妈妈给他买了一个新书包。他很高兴。
xiǎo míng mā ma gěi tā mǎi le yí gè xīn shū bāo。 tā hěn gāo xìng。
Xiaoming's mom bought him a new backpack. He was very happy.
周末爸爸带我去书店买书。我们选了很多有趣的书。
zhōu mò bà ba dài wǒ qù shū diàn mǎi shū。 wǒ men xuǎn le hěn duō yǒu qù de shū。
On the weekend, Dad took me to the bookstore to buy books. We chose many interesting ones.
姐姐买了新衣服，看起来很好看。
jiě jie mǎi le xīn yī fu， kàn qǐ lái hěn hǎo kàn。
My sister bought new clothes that looked very nice.
妈妈每天都会去菜市场买新鲜的蔬菜。
mā ma měi tiān dōu huì qù cài shì chǎng mǎi xīn xiān de shū cài。
Mom goes to the vegetable market every day to buy fresh vegetables.
我们一起去超市，买了好多好吃的东西。
wǒ men yì qǐ qù chāo shì， mǎi le hǎo duō hǎo chī de dōng xī。
We went to the supermarket together and bought a lot of delicious food.
Mini dialogue
买苹果
A
你想买什么？
Nǐ xiǎng mǎi shénme?
What do you want to buy?
B
我想买一个苹果。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī gè píngguǒ.
I want to buy an apple.
买书
A
我们去书店买书，好吗？
Wǒmen qù shūdiàn mǎi shū, hǎo ma?
Let's go to the bookstore to buy books, okay?
B
好啊，我想买一本故事书。
Hǎo a, wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī běn gùshi shū.
Okay, I want to buy a storybook.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
卖
mài
to sell
买 means to buy, 卖 means to sell. They are opposite actions.
similar
购
gòu
to purchase
购 is a more formal word for buying, often used in written Chinese.