How to Say "Worth It" in Japanese

価値がある

kachi ga aru

The Japanese phrase for "worth it" is 価値がある (kachi ga aru).

価値がある is used to express that the benefit or value of something justifies the cost, time or effort spent.

Meaning: worth doing (adj)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of 価値 (kachi) meaning "value" and ある (aru) meaning "to exist" or "to have". Literally, it means "there is value".

kachi ga aru

To express that something is 'not worth it' in a more idiomatic way, Japanese speakers might use the phrase 割に合わない (wari ni awanai), which literally means the 'proportion does not match'.
If you want to say something is 'worth it' specifically in terms of money, you might use the phrase 元が取れる (moto ga toreru), which literally means 'to recover the original'.
While 価値がある describes objective value, Japanese has a specific word やりがい (yarigai) for the kind of 'worth' that comes from the personal satisfaction of doing a challenging task.

見合った価値があるか？ないか？
Is it worth it or not?
This sentence is useful for asking whether something has the form 価値がある or not.
Tatoeba #11323746 by small_snow, translation #2885784 by AlanF_US
この映画は見る価値がある。
Kono eiga wa miru kachi ga aru.
This movie is worth watching.
努力する価値がある仕事だ。
Doryoku suru kachi ga aru shigoto da.
It is a job worth putting effort into.

A young man and woman are discussing whether to visit a famous, expensive cafe.

大翔 Hiroto

あのカフェは高いけど、行く価値があるかな？
Ano kafe wa takai kedo, iku kachi ga aru kana?
That cafe is expensive, but is it worth going?
美咲 Misaki

うん、スイーツは本当に美味しいよ。
Un, suiitsu wa hontou ni oishii yo.
Yeah, the sweets are really delicious.
大翔 Hiroto

美咲がそう言うなら、行ってみよう！
Misaki ga sou iu nara, itte miyou!
If you say so, Misaki, let's go!
美咲 Misaki

楽しみだね。
Tanoshimi dane.
I'm looking forward to it.

Sources

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