verb / noun HSK 5
Traditional 採購
cǎi gòu
to purchase · to procure · procurement · purchasing

Meaning

采购 refers to the formal act of purchasing or procuring goods, materials, or services, especially in a business or organizational context. It emphasizes the systematic process of acquiring items needed for operations, rather than casual shopping. The term is commonly used in corporate, government, and institutional settings.

Usage

This word is more formal than 买 (to buy) and is typically used in professional, commercial, or administrative contexts. It often appears in business documents, supply chain discussions, and job titles like 采购员 (purchasing agent). While 买 is used for everyday shopping, 采购 implies bulk buying, systematic procurement, or official purchasing procedures.

Examples

  1. 01
    公司的采购部门负责购买办公用品和设备。
    Gōng de cǎi gòu mén gòu mǎi bàn gōng yòng pǐn shè bèi.
    The company's procurement department is responsible for purchasing office supplies and equipment.
  2. 02
    我们需要制定一个详细的采购计划。
    men yào zhì dìng xiáng de cǎi gòu huà.
    We need to develop a detailed procurement plan.

Characters

Measure words

  • 进行一次采购

Common collocations

  • 采购
    cǎi gòu
    purchasing department
  • 采购
    cǎi gòu yuán
    purchasing agent, buyer
  • 集中采购
    zhōng cǎi gòu
    centralized procurement
  • 采购清单
    cǎi gòu qīng dān
    procurement list, shopping list

Antonyms

Origin

The combination of 采 (to gather/collect) and 购 (to buy) creates a meaning of systematically collecting or acquiring through purchase, reflecting the organized nature of procurement activities.

Related