mǎimài: 买卖 - Business, Trade, Transaction

• Keywords: maimai, 买卖, business in Chinese, Chinese word for trade, buy and sell, Chinese transaction, 做买卖, how to say business in Chinese, maimai vs shengyi, Chinese commerce
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 买卖 (mǎimài), which literally means “buy-sell.” This page provides a comprehensive guide for beginners on how to use `mǎimài` to talk about business, trade, and transactions in China. Discover its cultural significance, practical examples from daily life, and how it differs from similar terms like `生意 (shēngyi)`, helping you master a core concept of Chinese commerce.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): mǎimài
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: The act of buying and selling; a commercial transaction; a business deal.
• In a Nutshell: `买卖 (mǎimài)` is the most direct and fundamental word for commerce in Chinese. It's formed by combining the verbs “to buy” (`买 mǎi`) and “to sell” (`卖 mài`), perfectly capturing the entire cycle of a transaction. It can refer to a single deal, the general act of doing business, or even a person's livelihood, especially for small-scale entrepreneurs or merchants.

• 买 (mǎi): To buy, to purchase. This character can be pictographically imagined as a net (网) used to acquire or “catch” goods.
• 卖 (mài): To sell. This character looks very similar to `买` but has a “plus” sign (十) on top. You can think of this as a person (士, an ancient radical for scholar/gentleman) standing up to offer goods for sale. The different tone is crucial for distinguishing “buy” from “sell.”

Putting them together, 买卖 (mǎimài) “buy-sell,” logically and transparently means “trade” or “business.” It represents the complete, two-way flow of a commercial exchange.

• The Heart of Commerce: In Chinese culture, commerce is not an abstract concept but a deeply ingrained, practical activity. `买卖` reflects this perfectly. It's a term that feels grounded and tangible, used by everyone from a street food vendor to a corporate executive discussing a deal. It evokes the hustle and bustle of a market, the negotiation between two parties, and the final exchange of goods for money.
• Contrast with “Business”: In English, “business” can be very broad. We say “the business of government” or “mind your own business.” In Chinese, `买卖` is almost exclusively used for commercial activities. You would not use it to mean “an affair” or “a matter of concern.” This highlights a cultural view of `买卖` as a specific, transactional sphere of life, distinct from personal or state affairs.
• Transactional Mindset: While not always negative, the term can sometimes be used to describe a relationship that is purely transactional and lacks emotional depth. A common phrase is `婚姻不是买卖 (hūnyīn búshì mǎimài)`, meaning “Marriage is not a business transaction,” warning against marrying for purely material reasons.

`买卖` is incredibly versatile and is used in both formal and informal contexts.

• As a Noun (a deal, a transaction): It's often used with a measure word like `笔 (bǐ)` or `桩 (zhuāng)` to talk about a specific deal.
  • `一笔买卖 (yì bǐ mǎimài)` - a deal/transaction
  • `亏本买卖 (kuīběn mǎimài)` - a deal that loses money
• As a Verb (to do business): It's most commonly paired with `做 (zuò)`, meaning “to do.”
  • `做买卖 (zuò mǎimài)` - to engage in business, to be a merchant.
• Connotation: The term is generally neutral. However, its connotation can shift based on context. `一锤子买卖 (yì chuízi mǎimài)`, literally “a one-hammer deal,” refers to a one-off transaction where the seller has no intention of building a long-term customer relationship, which is often seen negatively.

• Example 1:
  • 他在网上做买卖，每个月能赚不少钱。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài wǎngshàng zuò mǎimài, měi ge yuè néng zhuàn bùshǎo qián.
  • English: He does business online and can earn a lot of money every month.
  • Analysis: This shows the most common usage, `做买卖 (zuò mǎimài)`, to mean “to do business” as a general activity or profession.
• Example 2:
  • 这笔买卖我们谈了很久，终于成功了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bǐ mǎimài wǒmen tán le hěn jiǔ, zhōngyú chénggōng le.
  • English: We negotiated this deal for a long time and finally succeeded.
  • Analysis: Here, `买卖` is a noun referring to a specific deal, used with the measure word `笔 (bǐ)`.
• Example 3:
  • 为了快点把货卖出去，他做了个亏本买卖。
  • Pinyin: Wèile kuàidiǎn bǎ huò mài chūqù, tā zuò le ge kuīběn mǎimài.
  • English: In order to sell the goods quickly, he made a losing deal.
  • Analysis: `亏本买卖 (kuīběn mǎimài)` is a set phrase meaning a transaction where you lose money.
• Example 4:
  • 他们的服务很差，完全是一锤子买卖。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de fúwù hěn chà, wánquán shì yì chuízi mǎimài.
  • English: Their service is terrible; it's completely a one-off deal.
  • Analysis: This idiom, `一锤子买卖`, has a negative connotation, implying the seller doesn't care about repeat customers or reputation.
• Example 5:
  • 记住，感情和婚姻不是买卖。
  • Pinyin: Jìzhù, gǎnqíng hé hūnyīn búshì mǎimài.
  • English: Remember, feelings and marriage are not a business transaction.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of `买卖` used metaphorically to criticize a relationship that is purely transactional.
• Example 6:
  • 老王退休后，开了个小店，做起了小买卖。
  • Pinyin: Lǎo Wáng tuìxiū hòu, kāi le ge xiǎo diàn, zuò qǐ le xiǎo mǎimài.
  • English: After retiring, Old Wang opened a small shop and started a small business.
  • Analysis: `小买卖 (xiǎo mǎimài)` specifically refers to a small-scale business, like a family-run shop or stall.
• Example 7:
  • 我们是讲信用的商家，不做欺骗顾客的买卖。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shì jiǎng xìnyòng de shāngjiā, bú zuò qīpiàn gùkè de mǎimài.
  • English: We are a reputable business; we don't do deals that deceive customers.
  • Analysis: This sentence emphasizes the ethical dimension of `买卖`, showing it can be qualified as good or bad.
• Example 8:
  • 这件古董的买卖风险很大。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiàn gǔdǒng de mǎimài fēngxiǎn hěn dà.
  • English: The trade of this antique is very risky.
  • Analysis: Here, `买卖` is used as a noun to refer to the act of trading a specific item.
• Example 9:
  • 买卖不成仁义在。
  • Pinyin: Mǎimài bù chéng rényì zài.
  • English: Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains.
  • Analysis: This is a very common and important proverb in Chinese business culture. It stresses the importance of maintaining a good relationship even if a particular transaction does not succeed.
• Example 10:
  • 公平买卖，童叟无欺。
  • Pinyin: Gōngpíng mǎimài, tóng sǒu wú qī.
  • English: A fair deal, deceiving neither the young nor the old.
  • Analysis: This is a traditional slogan you might see in older shops, promising honest prices and fair business practices for all customers.

• `买卖 (mǎimài)` vs. `生意 (shēngyi)`: This is the most common point of confusion.
  • `买卖` focuses on the act of transaction or a specific deal.
  • `生意` refers to business as an ongoing activity or state. You would say `生意很好 (shēngyi hěn hǎo)` for “business is good,” not `买卖很好`. `生意` also refers to one's company or livelihood in a broader sense.
  • Incorrect: ~~他的买卖很大。~~ (His transaction is big.)
  • Correct: 他的生意很大。(His business is big.)
  • Correct: 这笔买卖很大。(This deal is big.)
• `买卖` vs. `商业 (shāngyè)` and `贸易 (màoyì)`:
  • `商业 (shāngyè)` is “Commerce” as an academic subject, an industry, or an abstract concept (e.g., `商业区` - commercial district). It's more formal and abstract than `买卖`.
  • `贸易 (màoyì)` is “Trade,” especially formal, large-scale, or international trade (e.g., `国际贸易` - international trade).
  • Think of it this way: Two people haggling in a market are doing `买卖`. The rules governing their country's imports and exports are part of `贸易`. The entire system is `商业`.
• Common Mistake: Avoid using `买卖` to mean “business” in the sense of “affair” or “concern.”
  • Incorrect: ~~这不关你的买卖。~~
  • Correct: 这不关你的事。(Zhè bù guān nǐ de shì.) - This is none of your business.

• 生意 (shēngyi) - Business; specifically refers to the state of a business (good/bad) or one's livelihood.
• 交易 (jiāoyì) - Transaction, deal. More formal and neutral than `买卖`, often used in finance or contracts.
• 商业 (shāngyè) - Commerce; the abstract concept, field, or industry of business.
• 贸易 (màoyì) - Trade; typically used for large-scale or international trade.
• 商家 (shāngjiā) - Merchant, business, seller; the person or entity conducting the `买卖`.
• 顾客 (gùkè) - Customer, client; the other party in a `买卖`.
• 讨价还价 (tǎo jià huán jià) - To haggle or bargain; a common practice in many types of `买卖`.
• 一锤子买卖 (yì chuízi mǎimài) - An idiom for a one-off deal with no regard for future relationship.
• 货 (huò) - Goods, merchandise; the physical items involved in a `买卖`.
• 老板 (lǎobǎn) - Boss, owner; the person in charge of the `买卖`.