买单
mǎi dān · HSK 3
the bill (pay)
🧾💳 买 (buy) + 单 (bill/receipt) = buy the bill = pay the check
买 means to buy, 单 means a single sheet/bill/receipt. Together: pay the bill. Common at restaurants — 买单! signals you want to settle up. Compare 埋单 (Cantonese origin), same meaning.
买 — top 乛 (simplified 罒/網 net) + 头 (head, simplified of 貝 shell)
In its traditional form 買, the character shows a net (网) over a cowrie shell (貝), the ancient money — together meaning 'to net/acquire goods with money,' i.e. to buy. The simplified form 买 keeps the same idea with reduced strokes. It pairs with 卖 (sell), which adds 士 on top to show goods going out.
单 — 叩 (two mouths 口) over 甲 (shield/armor)
Originally a pictograph of a forked hunting weapon or shield with two prongs at the top. The ancient form shows a Y-shaped tool, later stylized into the modern shape. The meaning shifted from the weapon to 'single' or 'one,' possibly because it was a single-handed tool.
mǎi dān · HSK 3
to pay the bill
💵🧾 买 (buy) + 单 (bill/receipt) = buy-the-bill
买 means 'buy' and 单 means 'list/bill/receipt'. Together 买单 literally means 'buy the bill' — the standard way to ask for the check or to say someone is paying. Also used figuratively for 'taking responsibility' for something.
买 — top 乛 (simplified 罒/網 net) + 头 (head, simplified of 貝 shell)
In its traditional form 買, the character shows a net (网) over a cowrie shell (貝), the ancient money — together meaning 'to net/acquire goods with money,' i.e. to buy. The simplified form 买 keeps the same idea with reduced strokes. It pairs with 卖 (sell), which adds 士 on top to show goods going out.
单 — 叩 (two mouths 口) over 甲 (shield/armor)
Originally a pictograph of a forked hunting weapon or shield with two prongs at the top. The ancient form shows a Y-shaped tool, later stylized into the modern shape. The meaning shifted from the weapon to 'single' or 'one,' possibly because it was a single-handed tool.