價錢
gaa3 cin4
In Cantonese, "prices" is translated as 價錢 (gaa3 cin4).
價錢 refers to the amount of money for which something is sold. In informal settings, when you want to ask about the cost, you might use the phrases 幾錢 (How much?), 幾多錢 (How much is it?) or 大約幾錢呀？ (Approximately how much?).
What does it mean word for word?
The term 價錢 is composed of 價, which means price or value and 錢, which means money.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish 價錢 from 價値 (gaa3 sik6). While 價錢 refers to the specific price or amount of money, 價値 refers to value in a qualitative or worth-based sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
價錢 is a noun that does not change its form to indicate plurality.
How do you pronounce it?
gaa3 cin4
Did you know?
- The number 8 is highly favored when negotiating 價錢 because its Cantonese pronunciation sounds similar to the word for 'wealth' or 'prosper'.
- The character 錢 used in 價錢 originally denoted a 'tael', which was a specific unit of weight for precious metals before it became a general term for money.
- In Cantonese, the word for 'cheap' 平 is the same character used to describe a 'flat' or 'level' surface, suggesting that a low price is a 'level' one.
Examples in context
- 呢件襯衫幾多錢啊？How much does this shirt cost?
- 呢啲新鮮蔬菜大約幾多錢呀？Approximately how much for these fresh vegetables?
- 呢度啲價錢好平。ni1 dou6 di1 gaa3 cin2 hou2 ping4.The prices here are very cheap.
- 你覺得呢件衫嘅價錢點呀？nei5 gok3 dak1 ni1 gin6 saam1 ge3 gaa3 cin2 dim2 aa3?What do you think about the price of this shirt?
- 最近啲嘢食價錢升咗。zeoi3 gan6 di1 je5 sik6 gaa3 cin2 sing1 zo2.Food prices have gone up recently.
Example conversation
Chi Keung and Ka Yan are shopping at a market.
- 志強 Chi Keung嘉欣，你覺得啲價錢合理嗎？gaa1 han1, nei5 gok3 dak1 di1 gaa3 cin2 hap1 lei4 maa1?Ka Yan, do you think the prices are reasonable?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan我覺得啲價錢太高喇。ngo5 gok3 dak1 di1 gaa3 cin2 taai3 gou1 laa3.I think the prices are too high.
- 志強 Chi Keung咁我哋去第二間舖睇下。gam2 ngo5 dei6 heoi3 dai6 ji6 gaan1 pou3 tai2 haa5.Then let's go look at another shop.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan好呀，志強。hou2 aa3, zi3 keung4.Okay, Chi Keung.
