Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 買東西 / 买东西 | mǎi dōngxi | |
| 購物 / 购物 | gòuwù | |
| 血拼 | xuèpīn | slang |
| 瞎拼 | xiāpīn | slang |
The phrase 買東西 / 买东西 is used to describe the activity of buying things or going shopping. You may also see the phrase 疯狂购物 used to express the idea of a shopping spree or crazy shopping.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 買東西 / 买东西 literally means 'buy things'.
Which one should you use?
買東西 / 买东西 is the most common, everyday way to say 'shopping' in spoken Chinese. In contrast, 購物 / 购物 is a more general and formal term. For a more intense or heavy shopping experience, the slang term 血拼 can be used to describe splurging or shopping intensely.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
購物 / 购物 is a common and general term suitable for more formal contexts. 血拼 is a slang term used for describing a shopping spree.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, 買東西 / 买东西 functions as a verb phrase meaning 'to go shopping' or 'to buy things'.
How do you pronounce it?
mǎi dōngxi
When do people say it?
If you are not interested in a vendor's approach while shopping, you can say 不用了 to decline.
Did you know?
- The slang term 血拼 is a creative way to mimic the sound of the English word 'shopping' using Chinese characters. While it sounds like the English word, it literally translates to 'blood拼' or 'fighting with blood', suggesting an intense struggle.
- In Chinese, the word for 'thing' inside 買東西 / 买东西 is composed of the characters for 'east' and 'west'. This suggests that 'things' are everything found between the two cardinal directions.
- The formal word 購物 / 购物 is used in written signage and official receipts. Using this term in a casual conversation with friends might sound unnaturally stiff or robotic.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢去购物中心逛街。(Wǒ xǐhuan qù gòuwù zhōngxīn guàngjiē.)I like to go shopping at the mall.
- 我需要购置一些新餐具。(Wǒ xūyào gòuzhì yīxiē xīn cānjù.)I need to purchase some new tableware.
- 今天我要去商场买东西。(Jīntiān wǒ yào qù shāngchǎng mǎi dōngxi.)Today I'm going to the mall to buy things.
- 晚上我们一起去买东西吧！(Wǎnshàng wǒmen yīqǐ qù mǎi dōngxi ba!)Let's go buy things together tonight!
- 我们在打折的时候疯狂购物。(Wǒmen zài dǎzhé de shíhòu fēngkuáng gòuwù.)We went on a shopping spree during the sales.
- 我们一起去血拼吧！(Wǒmen yīqǐ qù xiěpīn ba!)Let's go on a shopping spree together!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shopping” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 瞎拼, 血拼, CC BY-SA 4.0.
