购

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to buy; to purchase

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

贝 meaning “money” + 勾 sound ( gōu )

Components 贝勾

purchase · Heisig RSH #686

oyster + cast

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
购物中心	gòu wù zhōng xīn	shopping center
购物手推车	gòu wù shǒu tuī chē	shopping cart
管理层收购	guǎn lǐ céng shōu gòu	management buyout (MBO)
购物车	gòu wù chē	shopping cart
购物广场	gòu wù guǎng chǎng	shopping mall
购物节	gòu wù jié	shopping festival; large-scale promotional sales event (e.g. Singles' Day 雙十一\|双十一[Shuang1 …
特易购	Tè yì gòu	Tesco, British-based supermarket chain
收购要约	shōu gòu yāo yuē	takeover bid
购物	gòu wù	shopping
定购	dìng gòu	to order goods; to place an order
加购	jiā gòu	to buy (sth extra); to make an additional purchase
购得	gòu dé	to purchase; to acquire
统购统销	tǒng gòu tǒng xiāo	state monopoly of purchasing and marketing
乐购	Lè gòu	Tesco, UK-based supermarket chain
代购	dài gòu	to buy (on behalf of sb)
回购	huí gòu	buyback; repurchase; to buy back
内购	nèi gòu	buying direct from your company at preferential prices; (gaming) in-app purchase
网购	wǎng gòu	Internet shopping; to purchase online
废品收购站	fèi pǐn shōu gòu zhàn	salvage station; recycling center
优先承购权	yōu xiān chéng gòu quán	prior purchase right; right of first refusal (ROFR); preemptive right to purchase

Characters sharing the sound component 勾 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
勾 sound part	gōu	to hook, to join, to connect; to entice
构	gòu	to compose, to make; building, frame, structure
沟	gōu	ditch, drain, gutter, narrow waterway