价格
jiàgé
The English phrase 'prices' is translated into Mandarin as 价格 (jiàgé).
价格 refers to the amount of money for which something is sold.
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of 价 (jià), meaning value or price and 格 (gé), meaning pattern or standard.
Which one should you use?
While 价格 is the standard term for 'prices' in formal or economic contexts, 价钱 is a more colloquial term used in daily conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Mandarin does not use a plural suffix for 价格. The context or a quantifier determines if it refers to one price or multiple prices.
How do you pronounce it?
jiàgé
When do people say it?
In colloquial speech, kuài is used as a term for yuan.
Did you know?
- In traditional markets, you might hear the word 砍价 (kǎnjià), which literally means 'chopping the price'. This refers to the culturally expected process of aggressive bargaining to lower a price.
- When a price is considered 'too high', a speaker might use the phrase 天价 (tiānjià), which literally translates to 'heavenly price'.
- If you want to describe a price that is 'out of reach' or 'too high', you might hear the phrase 价格高不可攀 (jiàgé gāo bù kě pān). It literally translates to 'the price is so high one cannot climb it'.
Examples in context
- 我正在把价格涨一倍。I'm doubling my prices.This sentence is useful for practicing how to use 价格 in the context of changing prices.Tatoeba #5091606 by mirrorvan, translation #3147974 by CK
- 价格已经达到了十三年以来的最高点。Prices have reached a 13-year high.This sentence shows how to describe 价格 reaching a certain level.Tatoeba #8553170 by slo_oth, translation #1141302 by Source_VOA
- 价格高。Prices are high.This sentence demonstrates a simple way to describe the state of 价格.Tatoeba #8696342 by crescat, translation #65710 by CK
- 这个多少钱？How much is this?
- 大概五十块钱。Around fifty yuan.
- 能便宜点吗？Can you make it cheaper?
- 你能给个折扣吗？Can you give a discount?
- 请问这个多少钱？Excuse me, how much is this?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xiao Wen and Wei are shopping at a local market.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen现在的菜价怎么样？Xiànzài de càijià zěnmeyàng?How are the vegetable prices lately?
- 伟 Wei最近价格涨了不少。Zuìjìn jiàgé zhǎngle bùshǎo.Prices have risen quite a bit recently.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我们买点便宜的吧。Nà wǒmen mǎi diǎn piányí de ba.Then let's buy something cheaper.
- 伟 Wei好，我来挑。Hǎo, wǒ lái tiāo.Okay, I'll pick them out.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
