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货真价实 (huò zhēn jià shí) — genuine goods at a fair price; the real thing (idiom)

Definition

Idiom meaning goods are genuine and fairly priced — by extension, used to praise anything that is 'the real deal,' not a knockoff. Closer to a formal endorsement than a casual description.

idiom
genuine goods at a fair pricethe real thing (idiom)

Examples

  • 货真价实。
    Zhè jiā diàn mài de dōu shì yì xiē huò zhēn jià shí de hǎo dōng xī.
    Everything this shop sells is genuine and fairly priced.
  • 货真价实，。
    Tā shuō de huò zhēn jià shí, nǐ wán quán kě yǐ xiāng xìn.
    What he says is the real thing — you can fully trust him.
  • 货真价实，。
    Zhè ge pǐn pái de kǒu hào jiù shì huò zhēn jià shí, tóng sǒu wú qī.
    This brand's slogan is 'genuine goods at fair prices, cheating neither old nor young.'

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

货真goods genuine
货huògoods真zhēngenuine
主谓Subject + predicate
价实price fair
价jiàprice实shísolid fair
主谓Subject + predicate

货真 and 价实 together say the goods are genuine and the price is fair.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 貨; 货 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà貨huò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貨 pairs 化 (sound) with 貝 (shell, money) to write valuable goods; the simplified 货 is a shorthand.

Open 货 →

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →
Appears in
Business & CommerceIdioms & Set Phrases

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