物美价廉 (wù měi jià lián) — (set phrase) good quality and low price; a barg… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A set phrase praising something as 'good quality, low price' — describes an item, not the act of negotiating. Compare with 讨价还价, which means haggling over the price.

phrase

(set phrase) good quality and low pricea bargain

Examples

物美价廉，。
Zhè jiā diàn de shāng pǐn wù měi jià lián, suǒ yǐ gù kè hěn duō.
The products in this store are good quality and cheap, so there are many customers.
物美价廉。
Wǎng gòu shí wǒ zhuān mén zhǎo wù měi jià lián de dōng xī mǎi.
When shopping online, I specifically look for bargains.
物美价廉，。
Zhè kuǎn shǒu jī wù měi jià lián, xìng jià bǐ hěn gāo.
This phone is a great deal — it has high cost performance.

Origin

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.

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.

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Idioms & Set Phrases Shopping & Errands

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