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报价 (bào jià) — to quote a price, to give a price quotation

Definition

Used in business and trade for giving or asking a formal price quotation. A separable verb: between 报 and 价 you can insert a measure word or modifier (e.g. 报一个价, 报低价).

verb
to quote a priceto give a price quotation

Examples

  • 报价？
    Qǐng wèn nǐ men bào jià le ma?
    Have you given a quotation?
  • 。
    Qǐng gěi wǒ men bào yí gè jià.
    Please give us a price quote.
  • 报价？
    Nǐ néng bào jià dī yì diǎn ma?
    Can you quote a little lower?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

报bàoannounce
价jiàprice

报 is to announce, and 价 is the price being given.

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 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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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