買 — Buy
Tap any reading below to hear native Japanese pronunciation
Visual Radical Families for 買 (Buy)
These kanjis share the same recurring visual building block in Shibashi's Japanese kanji mnemonics. Tap any small tile to compare its story:
Visually Similar Lookalike Kanji
Learners often mix up 買 (Buy) with these lookalike characters. Tap a tile to see how their visual mnemonics differ:
5-Second Distinction Rule (言 (Say) vs 話 (Talk) vs 読 (Read) vs 買 (Buy)): 言 (sound waves rising from a mouth = Say) • 話 (words 言 + singing cat's tongue 舌 = Talk) • 読 (words 言 + sell 売 = Read) • 買 (net 罒 + shell money 貝 = Buy).
Common Japanese Words with 買 (Buy)
Tap any word below to hear native Japanese pronunciation and see how the constituent kanjis combine:
This kanji literally means to buy (買).

When you buy (買) a thing (物), you are going shopping.
Frequently Asked Questions About 買 (Buy)
What is the best kanji mnemonic for 買 (Buy)?
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The Shibashi Japanese kanji mnemonic for 買 ("Buy", read as ばい) is: The boy really wants to buy (ばい) the kangaroo (か) robo-roo. Using visual kanji mnemonics that combine the character's radicals, meaning, and reading into a single illustrated scene makes 買 effortless to recall.
What does the kanji 買 mean and how is it read in Japanese?
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The Japanese kanji 買 means "Buy". Its primary reading is ばい (On'yomi: ばい; Kun'yomi: か). Our Japanese kanji mnemonics tie the reading directly into the visual story so you remember both the meaning and pronunciation together.
What are common Japanese words and compounds with 買?
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Essential Japanese vocabulary words containing 買 include: 買う (かう - to buy), 買い物 (かいもの - shopping).
How do Japanese kanji mnemonics help you remember 買 (Buy) faster?
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Traditional rote stroke repetition fades quickly. Shibashi's Japanese kanji mnemonics turn 買 (Buy) and its shared visual radical family into memorable characters and objects, paired with smart Spaced Repetition (SRS) and native audio so the memory sticks permanently.