Learn a Chinese Character - 价

1. Character Basics

Radical: 亻/人 (rén) radical (person)

Stroke Count: 6

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jià, jie

Pronunciation Note: The primary pronunciation is "jià", but it can also be pronounced "jie" in certain colloquial expressions.

3. Meaning

price, value, worth, cost, rate, tariff

4. Common Words

• 价格 (jiàgé) - price, cost - The amount of money required to purchase something
• 价值 (jiàzhí) - value, worth - The importance or usefulness of something
• 评价 (píngjià) - evaluation, assessment - To judge or assess the quality or value of something
• 定价 (dìngjià) - pricing, set a price - To establish the price of something
• 降价 (jiàngjià) - price reduction, lower the price - To decrease the price of something
• 特价 (tèjià) - special price, bargain price - A price that is lower than the usual price

5. Grammar & Usage

1. As a noun: "价" can function independently as a noun meaning "price" or "value", but it is more commonly used in compound words.

2. In price expressions: When combined with numbers and units, it forms price expressions, such as "这个苹果五块钱一斤价" (This apple is five yuan per jin in price).

3. In evaluation: When used in words like "评价" (píngjià) and "估价" (gūjià), it indicates the act of assessing value or worth.

4. Colloquial usage: In some dialects or casual speech, "价" (pronounced "jie") is used as an auxiliary word similar to "地" (de), as in "悄悄价" (quietly).

6. Cultural Background

The character "价" has deep cultural significance in Chinese society, particularly in relation to concepts of value, fairness, and exchange. Traditional Chinese philosophy emphasizes the importance of assessing the true worth of things beyond mere monetary value. The character appears in numerous idioms and proverbs that reflect cultural attitudes towards pricing and value, highlighting the importance of fairness and integrity in commercial transactions.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "价" consists of two parts: the radical "亻" (person) and the component "介" (interpose). You can remember it by thinking of a person (亻) determining the value or price (介) of something. The component "介" also sounds similar to "价" (jià), which can help with pronunciation memory.