Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 貴 / 贵 | guì |
| 昂貴 / 昂贵 | ángguì |
The term 貴 / 贵 is the most common and universal way to say expensive in Chinese. If you wish to describe something that is not cheap, you can use the phrase 价钱不菲. For something that is outrageously expensive, you can use 贵得离谱. Additionally, 高价 is a suitable term when specifically referring to high prices or high costs.
Which one should you use?
While 貴 / 贵 is the standard term, 昂贵 / 昂贵 conveys a stronger sense of high price and is typically reserved for luxurious or extravagant items.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word for expensive is 貴.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the single-syllable adjective 贵 to describe a noun, it is grammatically natural to precede it with an adverb of degree like 很 (hěn), even if you do not strictly mean 'very'. To express that something is 'too expensive', a phrase often used during bargaining, add 太 (tài) before the adjective and 了 (le) after it, forming 太贵了.
How do you pronounce it?
guì
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid placing 贵 directly before a noun (for example, saying 贵书 to mean 'expensive book'). To make your sentences sound natural, you should use a modifier like 很 or a particle like 的.
Did you know?
- The character 貴 contains the radical 貝, which represents a seashell. In ancient China, cowrie shells were used as a form of currency, making the visual link between 'shell' and 'value' direct.
- Beyond cost, 貴 can be used to describe people of high social status or to address someone with extreme politeness. For example, 您貴姓? is a formal way to ask 'What is your honorable surname?'
- Chinese has specific idioms for 'expensive' that evoke imagery, such as 天价, which literally means 'heavenly price' to describe something astronomically expensive.
Examples in context
- 这件衣服很贵This piece of clothing is expensive.
- 这辆汽车太昂贵了This car is too expensive.
- 这本书的高价让我有些犹豫The high price of this book makes me hesitate.
- 这个餐厅的菜贵得离谱The food at this restaurant is outrageously expensive.
- 这台电视的价钱不菲The price of this TV is not cheap.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “expensive” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 貴, CC BY-SA 4.0.
