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買

買 — buy

Learn the correct stroke order for 買 (buy), a 12-stroke kanji.

JLPT N4Grade 212 strokes

Stroke Order

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Stroke 0 / 12
On'yomi (音読み)バイbai
Kun'yomi (訓読み)か.うkau
Strokes12
Radical貝
Frequency#520
Meaningsbuy

Step-by-Step Diagram

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Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 12 — start from the green dot

Common Words

購買こうばいprocurement; purchase; buyingnoun
仲買なかがいbrokerage; brokernoun
買取かいとりpurchase; buying; buying outnoun
買うかうto buy; to purchaseverb
買収ばいしゅうacquisition (esp. corporate); buy-out; takeovernoun
売買ばいばいtrade; buying and selling; trafficking (e.g. of humans, arms, drugs)noun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 買 (buy) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N4 level. It has 12 strokes with radical 貝.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 買 is #520, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

購買こうばい — procurement; purchase; buying
仲買なかがい — brokerage; broker
買取かいとり — purchase; buying; buying out

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (貝)

貝shellfish負defeat貞upright財property貢tribute責blame販marketing貨freight

Same reading

売sell

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 買 have?

The kanji 買 (buy) has 12 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 買?

買 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 買 mean?

買 means: buy. On'yomi readings: バイ. Kun'yomi readings: か.う.

What JLPT level is 買?

買 is a JLPT N4 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.