買う|かうkau[0]heiban (flat)
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Definitions
- godan verb, transitive verbto buy; to purchase
- godan verb, transitive verbto value (highly); to think highly of; to have a high opinion of; to appreciate; to recognize
- godan verb, transitive verbto incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.); to elicit (e.g. sneers); to invite (e.g. scorn); to evoke; to arouse; to win (someone's favour)
- godan verb, transitive verbto accept; to take on; to take up
- godan verb, transitive verbto pay for (a prostitute, geisha, etc.)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 買う（かう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 買います（かいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 買わない（かわない） |
| polite (masen) | 買いません（かいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 買わず・買わぬ（かわず・かわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 買った（かった） |
| polite (mashita) | 買いました（かいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 買わなかった（かわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 買いませんでした（かいませんでした） |
| Te form | 買って（かって） |
| Potential | 買える（かえる） |
| Passive | 買われる（かわれる） |
| Causative | 買わせる（かわせる） |
| Causative passive | 買わせられる・買わされる（かわせられる・かわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 買えば（かえば） |
| tara | 買ったら（かったら） |
| Volitional | 買おう（かおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 買いましょう（かいましょう） |
| Imperative | 買え（かえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym買取かいとりNeutralA noun for buying something into one's own hands, mostly used for secondhand buy-ups, as in 「本の買取」.
- Synonym購入こうにゅうNeutralA Sino-Japanese noun used with する, for formal occasions and documents, as in 「チケットを購入する」; more formal than 「買う」.
- Synonym買い取るかいとるNeutralSame direction as 「買う」, not the opposite: buying from the other party and taking ownership; often used for buy-ups.
- Synonym買い求めるかいもとめるNeutralBuying something you want, as in 「土産を買い求める」; slightly written and formal.
- Synonym買い受けるかいうけるWrittenWritten/formal prose for buying property or rights; mostly seen in legal and auction contexts.
- Related買い込むかいこむNeutralBuying in large quantities or stocking up, as in 「食料を買い込む」.
- Related買い上げるかいあげるNeutralGovernment or public bodies buying from private citizens, as in 「国が米を買い上げる」; a shop's 「お買い上げ」 is honorific.
- Related買い入れるかいいれるNeutralBuying in supplies; mostly used for commercial purchasing, as in 「原料を買い入れる」.
- Related買収ばいしゅうNeutralBuying out or taking over a company, but also bribery, as in 「企業を買収する」 and 「票を買収する」.
- Related購買こうばいWrittenWritten/formal prose for the act of purchasing, as in 「購買意欲」; also a school co-op store.
- Related買い付けるかいつけるNeutralBulk purchasing or habitual buying, as in 「海外で商品を買い付ける」.
- Related購うあがなうWrittenA literary, old-fashioned word for buying, rarely used today; say 「買う」 in everyday speech.
- Antonym売るうるNeutralThe opposite of 「買う」: handing things over to the other party in exchange for money, i.e. selling.
For everyday buying, use 「買う」. Use 「購入」 in formal writing, 「買い込む」 for stocking up in quantity, 「買い取る」 for buying up secondhand goods or buying out rights, and 「買収」 for corporate takeovers. 「買い入れる」 and 「買い付ける」 suit commercial purchasing, 「買い上げる」 official buy-ups, and 「買い求める」 is slightly formal. 「売る」 is the opposite: selling.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
