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开价 (kāi jià) — to quote a price; to name a price (by seller or in negotiation)

Definition

开价 (kāi jià) means 'to name a price' — the seller or negotiator states their asking price. Used for a single quoted figure, not an ongoing bargaining process.

verb
to quote a priceto name a price (by seller or in negotiation)

Examples

  • 。
    Lǎo bǎn kāi le yí gè jià.
    The boss quoted a price.
  • 开价。
    Tā men zhǔn bèi kāi jià le.
    They are ready to name a price.
  • 开价，。
    Nǐ kāi jià tài dī, wǒ bú mài.
    Your quoted price is too low; I won't sell it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

开kāiput forward
价jiàprice

The action of 开 'putting forward' a 价 'price' names quoting.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
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.

Open 价 →
Appears in
Business & Commerce

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