价廉物美 (jià lián wù měi) — cheap and of good quality, a bargain | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Set phrase describing products (or deals) that are cheap but of good quality — a bargain. Often praises value-for-money merchandise, unlike 便宜 (just 'cheap/inexpensive').

idiom

cheap and of good qualitya bargain

Examples

价廉物美，。
Zhè jiā diàn de shāng pǐn jià lián wù měi, hěn shòu huān yíng.
The goods from this store are cheap and good quality, very popular.
价廉物美。
Wǒ zài wǎng shàng mǎi le yí gè jià lián wù měi de tái dēng.
I bought a cheap but good quality desk lamp online.
价廉物美，。
Yào xiǎng zuò dào jià lián wù měi, xū yào kòng zhì chéng běn.
To achieve low prices and good quality, you need to control costs.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

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

价廉price is low

价jiàprice廉liáncheap

主谓Subject + predicate

物美goods are good

物wùgoods美měibeautiful

主谓Subject + predicate

价 and 廉 say the price is low, while 物 and 美 say the goods are good; together it means a bargain.

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.

广兼廉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

兼

兼jiān廉lián

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

廉 pairs 广 with 兼; 兼 supplies the sound.

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

牛勿物

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勿

勿wù物wù

Same sound today

物 puts 牛 beside 勿: 牛 gives the meaning, and 勿 gives the sound.

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

羊羊yángram or feathers
大大dàperson

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

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