<human>:  Can you explain what it means to buy a stock?
<bot>: Buying a stock means purchasing a share of ownership in a company. When you buy a stock, you are investing in the company and hoping that the stock will increase in value over time. You may receive dividends (periodic payments) from the company, depending on the type of stock you buy. When you sell your stock, you can gain or lose money, depending on how the stock has performed since you purchased it.