便宜

• Pinyin: pián yi
• Hanzi breakdown: 便 = 亻(person) + 更 (change, phonetic); 宜 = 宀 (roof) + 且 (moreover)

Meaning

Cheap; inexpensive. Describes something that costs little money.

Primarily used as an adjective to describe low prices. Can also appear in the phrase 占便宜 (to take advantage of). The character 便 is pronounced biàn in other contexts (e.g., 方便 convenient), but in 便宜 it is pronounced pián. Very common in shopping and bargaining contexts.

Examples

1. 这件衣服很便宜，只要五十块。 This piece of clothing is very cheap, only fifty yuan.
2. 超市的水果比外面便宜。 The fruit at the supermarket is cheaper than outside.
3. 便宜的东西不一定不好。 Cheap things are not necessarily bad.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, daily life, comparing prices

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这个东西太便宜了！(This thing is so cheap!)
• 哪里能买到便宜的水果？(Where can I buy cheap fruit?)

Don't Say

• 不要对别人的礼物说便宜 (Don't call someone's gift cheap — it's impolite; 便宜 can imply low quality when used about personal items)

Origin & History

便 (pián, convenient/cheap) + 宜 (yí, suitable/fitting). The original meaning was 'convenient and suitable,' which evolved to mean 'inexpensive' — something that is easy to obtain.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal