代价

• Pinyin: dài jià
• Hanzi breakdown: 代 (substitute, generation) + 价 (price, value)

Meaning

Price; cost; consequence.

Refers to the cost or sacrifice required to achieve something, often beyond monetary value. Can be physical, emotional, or moral. Commonly used in phrases like 付出代价 (pay the price) and 不惜代价 (at any cost).

Examples

1. 成功是有代价的，他牺牲了很多个人时间。 Success comes at a price — he sacrificed a lot of personal time.
2. 如果你不遵守规则，会付出代价的。 If you don't follow the rules, you'll pay the price.
3. 为了健康，付出一点代价是值得的。 For the sake of health, it's worth paying a small price.

Usage Guide

Context: consequences, sacrifices, decisions

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 这是沉重的代价。(This is a heavy price to pay.)
• 不惜一切代价。(At any cost.)

Don't Say

• '代价'通常指负面的付出——积极的投资或贡献更适合用'投入'或'付出' (代价 usually implies negative costs — for positive investments, 投入 or 付出 is more appropriate)

Origin & History

Compound of 代 (substitute, generation) + 价 (price, value), meaning the price paid as a substitute or consequence.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal