并购
bìnggòu · HSK 7
merge into
🤝 并 combine + 购 purchase = merge by buying together
Two firms combine (并) through a purchase (购). The Chinese term for M&A — one entity absorbs another by acquiring it.
并 — two 立 (standing person) side by side
Originally a pictograph of two people standing side by side, depicting togetherness or combination. The modern form 并 merges several historical characters (並, 併, 竝) that all conveyed 'side by side' or 'combine'. Today it means 'and, moreover' or 'to merge', and also negates expectations as in 并不.
购 — 贝 (shell/money) + 勾 (gōu, phonetic)
购 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 贝 component (cowrie shell, ancient currency) signals meaning related to money or trade, while 勾 (gōu) supplies the sound. Originally meaning to offer a reward or buy, it now simply means 'to purchase'.