价值

• Pinyin: jià zhí
• Hanzi breakdown: 价 = 亻(person) + 介 (mediate); 值 = 亻(person) + 直 (straight, honest) — what a person's honesty is worth

Meaning

Value; worth. The degree to which something is useful, important, or desirable — whether monetary, social, cultural, or personal.

Can refer to monetary value (这幅画价值很高 — this painting is worth a lot) or abstract worth (人生价值 — the value of life, 有价值的经验 — valuable experience). Common compounds include 价值观 (values, sense of values) and 价值观念 (value concept). Widely used in philosophy, economics, education, and everyday language.

Examples

1. 这本旧书具有很高的历史价值。 This old book has great historical value.
2. 他的工作经验对公司很有价值。 His work experience is very valuable to the company.
3. 我们应该思考自己的人生价值。 We should think about the value and meaning of our own lives.

Usage Guide

Context: business, philosophy, education, everyday

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 这件古董很有价值。(This antique is very valuable.)
• 你的建议对我们很有价值。(Your suggestion is very valuable to us.)

Don't Say

• 这是一个价值的东西。(Don't say 一个价值的东西 — 价值 is a noun meaning value, not an adjective. Say 这是一个有价值的东西 or 这个东西很有价值.)

Origin & History

Compound of 价 (price, value) and 值 (to be worth, value). Both characters carry the meaning of worth or exchange value, making the compound emphatic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal