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代价 (dài jià) — price (figurative), cost (in effort, time, or loss); (business) consideration (in contracts or share dealing)

Definition

代价 is 'cost' in a figurative sense — the price paid in effort, loss, or sacrifice for something. 价格 and 价钱 are the literal monetary price of a thing.

noun
price (figurative)cost (in effort, time, or loss)(business) consideration (in contracts or share dealing)

Examples

  • 代价。
    Rèn hé chéng gōng dōu yào fù chū nǔ lì de dài jià.
    Any success requires paying the cost of effort.
  • 代价。
    Tā wèi le míng shēng bù xī yí qiè dài jià.
    He spared no cost for fame.
  • 代价。
    Hé tong shàng zhù míng le jiāo yì de dài jià.
    The contract specifies the consideration for the transaction.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

代dàisubstitute
价jiàprice

代 contributes substitute and 价 contributes price, so the whole means the price paid.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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
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