价钱 (jià qián) — price | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Everyday spoken word for 'price', used most in daily shopping and casual talk. 价格 is the same meaning but more formal and written; the other 价∼ words (定价, 售价, etc.) are technical/business terms.

noun

price

Examples

价钱。
Zhè liàng chē de jià qián hěn hé lǐ.
The price of this car is very reasonable.
价钱。
Liǎng gè shāng diàn de jià qián bù yí yàng.
The prices at the two stores are not the same.
价钱。
Zhè ge jià qián wǒ néng jiē shòu.
I can accept this price.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

价钱 combines 价 (price) and 钱 (money) to refer to the money asked for something.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

人介价

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

介

介jiè价jiè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

价 pairs 人 (person) with 介, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 錢; 钱 is its simplified writing.

金戔錢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal; gold; money

Sound part声符shēngfú

戔

戔jiān錢qián

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 錢 combines 金, meaning metal or money, with 戔, which gives the sound; the simplified 钱 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 4 Money & Currency 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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