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買い物
kaimonono
shopping
週末はたいてい買い物に行きます。
I usually go shopping on weekends.
informal
The act of purchasing goods, typically for personal use.
スーパーで買い物をしました。
I did some shopping at the supermarket.
彼女は買い物が大好きです。
She loves shopping.
Often used to describe the activity rather than the items purchased. Can also refer to the items themselves in some contexts (e.g. '買い物が多い' = 'there are many things to buy').
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 買い物 and ショッピング
While both mean 'shopping,' 買い物 is more general and commonly used in everyday speech. ショッピング often implies a more leisurely or stylish shopping experience, sometimes associated with malls or fashion.
Gold Rule
Using 買い物 with particles
買い物 is often followed by 'に' to indicate purpose (e.g. '買い物に行く' = 'go shopping'). It can also take 'を' to indicate the object of the action (e.g. '買い物をする' = 'do shopping').
Word Origin
The word combines the verb '買う' (to buy) with '物' (thing/goods), forming a compound noun meaning 'the act of buying things.' The structure follows the common Japanese pattern of verb + noun to describe an action.
Usage Notes
買い物 is a noun that describes the activity itself. To indicate the purpose or location, it is often followed by particles like 'に' (e.g. 'デパートで買い物をする' = 'shop at a department store'). The verb form '買い物をする' is also common.
Word Breakdown
買い
buying (masu-stem of 買う)
root物
thing/goods
root和英辞典