价

• Pinyin: jià
• Hanzi breakdown: 价 = 亻(person) + 介 (between), simplified from 價

Meaning

Price; value. The cost or worth of something.

Short form commonly used in compounds like 价格 (price), 价值 (value), 价钱 (cost). Can stand alone in casual speech to mean price. Also used in chemistry for valence.

Examples

1. 这件衣服原价五百，打折后只要两百。 This piece of clothing was originally 500, but after the discount it's only 200.
2. 房价涨得太快，年轻人买房越来越难了。 Housing prices have risen too fast; it's becoming increasingly difficult for young people to buy homes.
3. 这个菜市场的菜价比超市便宜很多。 The vegetable prices at this market are much cheaper than at the supermarket.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, business, economics, daily life

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 这个多少价？(How much is this? - casual)
• 房价太高了。(Housing prices are too high.)

Don't Say

• 这个价很美丽 (For describing prices positively, use 划算 or 便宜, not 美丽 which is for appearance)

Origin & History

Compound of 亻(person) + 贾 (merchant), originally related to trading and pricing.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal