What does 買 mean in Japanese?
買 means to buy in Japanese. It is the kanji behind 買う (kau, to buy) and 買い物 (kaimono, shopping), two words you will use from your very first trip to a Japanese store.
買 has two main readings. Read it as かう (kau) in the verb 買う, meaning ‘to buy,’ and as バイ (bai) in compounds such as 売買 (baibai, buying and selling). In everyday conversation, the kun’yomi forms 買う and 買い物 do most of the work.
Reading
On’yomi: バイ (bai)
Kun’yomi: か-う (ka-u)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 買 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | buy, purchase |
| Stroke Count | 12 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
買 focuses on the buyer’s side of a transaction. The verb 買う is used for everyday purchases, while 買い物 turns it into the general activity of shopping. In compounds read as バイ, it appears in commercial vocabulary such as 売買 (buying and selling). Polite shop language also builds on it, as in お買い得 (a good deal).
Common Words
- 買う（かう / kau） — to buy
- 買い物（かいもの / kaimono） — shopping
- 売買（ばいばい / baibai） — buying and selling, trade
- 買い手（かいて / kaite） — buyer
- 買い替える（かいかえる / kaikaeru） — to replace by buying a new one
- お買い得（おかいどく / okaidoku） — good deal, bargain
Example Sentences
-
スーパーで野菜を買いました。
すーぱーでやさいをかいました。 / Suupaa de yasai o kaimashita.
I bought vegetables at the supermarket.
-
週末に友達と買い物に行きます。
しゅうまつにともだちとかいものにいきます。 / Shuumatsu ni tomodachi to kaimono ni ikimasu.
I will go shopping with my friend on the weekend.
-
新しい靴を買うつもりです。
あたらしいくつをかうつもりです。 / Atarashii kutsu o kau tsumori desu.
I plan to buy new shoes.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
買う is one of the first verbs you will use in Japan, and 買い物 (shopping) follows immediately: 買い物に行く (to go shopping) is a set phrase worth memorizing early. Watch for お買い得 (okaidoku, good deal) on store displays. The compound 売買 (baibai) pairs 売 and 買 in one word and is a handy reminder that the two kanji are opposites that travel together.
Summary
買 means to buy and powers 買う and 買い物, essential words for shopping and daily life in Japan.