Japanese word

安物

Pronunciation

Romajiyasumono

Meaning

  • nouncheap item

Example

この店では安物を買いません。ko no mise de wa yasu mono o ka i ma se n

I do not buy cheap items at this store.

Illustration for 安物 (cheap item)

More examples

安物を選ぶと、あとで買い直すことになる場合があります。yasu mono o era bu to a to de ka i nao su ko to ni na ru ba ai ga a ri ma su

If you choose a cheap item, you may have to buy another one.

Core concept

Describes an item whose low price is associated with plainly limited quality.

Common phrases

  • 安物の家具yasu mono no ka gu

    cheap furniture

  • 安物を避けるyasu mono o sa ke ru

    avoid cheap items

  • 安物に見えるyasu mono ni mi e ru

    look like a cheap item

Similar words

廉価品renkahin: An item offered at a low price without necessarily suggesting poor quality.
粗悪品soakuhin: An item of poor quality, often because it is made with inferior materials or workmanship.

Definition in Japanese

値段が安く、品質も劣る品物。ne dan ga yasu ku hin shitsu mo oto ru shina mono

Word origin

安物 (yasumono) combines 安い (yasui, "cheap") and 物 (mono, "thing") to mean a thing sold cheaply, often with an implication of poor quality.

Usage tips

  • 安物 (yasumono) often sounds more critical than a word meaning simply low-priced, because it can suggest that the item is poorly made.

Other meanings

  • shoddy itemnoun

Opposites

  • 高級品kōkyūhinluxury itemnoun

Word lists with this word