购

購
gòu
verb #7,924

Meanings

  1. 1 to buy
  2. 2 to purchase

Examples

HSK 4
Tā zài wǎngshàng gòumǎi le yìtái xīn diànnǎo.
She purchased a new computer online.
HSK 4
Zhōumò gòuwù shì tā zuì xǐhuan de huódòng zhīyī.
Weekend shopping is one of her favorite activities.

Tips

usage
贝 money + 勾 hook - hooking goods with your money

Components

radical
贝 bèi
cowrie shell; money
贝 depicts a cowrie shell - the earliest Chinese currency - and serves as the money/commerce radical. Every word about buying, selling, owing, or wealth uses 贝: 买 buy, 卖 sell, 财 wealth, 货 goods. 购 means to acquire by paying out.
phonetic
勾 gōu
hook; to hook
勾 supplies the sound, with a tone shift gōu → gòu. The "hook" meaning has no role here - pure phonetic. In simplified 购 it replaced traditional 購's phonetic 冓 - a much more elaborate element.

Stroke Order

购 gòu