卖 (mài)

卖 means to sell. It is the opposite of 买 (mǎi, to buy). The two characters look alike. 卖 has an extra element on top of 买, representing the additional layer of "sending goods out" to a buyer.

Meanings

[verb] To sell, to offer for sale.

Example Sentences

这家店卖很多种水果。 Zhè jiā diàn mài hěn duō zhǒng shuǐguǒ. This store sells many kinds of fruit.

他想卖掉他的旧车。 Tā xiǎng mài diào tā de jiù chē. He wants to sell his old car.

这里卖不卖咖啡？ Zhèlǐ mài bù mài kāfēi? Do they sell coffee here?

她在网上卖手工艺品。 Tā zài wǎng shàng mài shǒugōngyìpǐn. She sells handicrafts online.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
卖东西	sell things
卖票	sell tickets
卖菜	sell vegetables
卖光了	sold out
出卖	to sell out (also: to betray)
销售	sales (formal)

Memory Hook

卖 has an extra cap on top of 买 (buy). The seller is "capping" the buyer: they add a price before handing goods over.