coi2 kau3採購采购

Jyutpingcoi2 kau3

Yalechói kau

Definition

To procure (for an enterprise etc)

neutralworkshopping

How it's used

This term is primarily used in formal business or professional contexts rather than for personal shopping. While it means to purchase, it implies a systematic process of selecting and sourcing goods, often in large quantities or for an organization. Using it to describe buying groceries for home would sound overly bureaucratic and unnatural.

Examples

keoi5 fu6 zaak3 bong1 gung1 si1 coi2 kau3 di1 baan6 gung1 sat1 jung6 ban2

佢負責幫公司採購啲辦公室用品。

He is responsible for procuring office supplies for the company.

nei5 zi1 m4 zi1 bin1 dou6 ho2 ji5 coi2 kau3 dou3 ni1 di1 ling4 gin2 aa4

你知唔知邊度可以採購到呢啲零件呀？

Do you know where one can procure these parts?

Common phrases

coi2 kau3 bou6

採購部

purchasing department

coi2 kau3 ging1 lei5

採購經理

purchasing manager

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe casual shopping, as it carries a sense of professional duty or industrial scale. For everyday personal purchases, use 買 or 買嘢 instead.