购
gòu · HSK 7
buy
🛒 贝 (shell/money) + 勾 (hook) — hook out the cash to buy
购 combines the 贝 radical (cowrie shell, ancient money) with 勾 gōu (hook), which also gives the sound. Etymology: hooking money out of your purse — i.e. buying. Common in 购物 gòuwù (shopping).
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'.