Chinese Conversation · Level 82
61 words
Chinese word
一分钱一分货
Pronunciation
Pinyinyī fēn qián yī fēn huò
Meaning
- idiomyou get what you pay for
Example
买东西别只贪便宜，一分钱一分货。mǎi dōng xī bié zhǐ tān pián yi yì fēn qián yì fēn huò
Don't just go for the cheapest option when shopping; you get what you pay for.
More examples
虽然这件包包贵一些，但真的是一分钱一分货，做工很好。suī rán zhè jiàn bāo bāo guì yì xiē dàn zhēn de shì yì fēn qián yì fēn huò zuò gōng hěn hǎo
Although this bag is a little expensive, it is really worth what it costs, and the workmanship is excellent.
Core concept
A price tag acts like a signal of the materials, workmanship, or service behind an item, while cutting the price can reduce what the buyer receives.
Common phrases
一分钱一分货的东西yì fēn qián yì fēn huò de dōng xī
things worth what they cost
买到一分钱一分货的商品mǎi dào yì fēn qián yì fēn huò de shāng pǐn
buy products worth what they cost
Similar words
货真价实huò zhēn jià shí: Describes products that are genuine and fairly priced for what they are worth.
价廉物美jià lián wù měi: Describes something inexpensive that still has good quality.
物有所值wù yóu suǒ zhí: Means that the quality or benefits received are worth the money spent.
Definition in Chinese
一分钱一分货指价格与品质成正比，支付更高价格通常能得到更好的质量或服务，是对货价与价值关系的概括性说法。yì fēn qián yì fēn huò zhǐ jià gé yǔ pǐn zhì chéng zhèng bǐ zhī fù gèng gāo jià gé tōng cháng néng dé dào gèng hǎo de zhì liàng huò fú wù shì duì huò jià yǔ jià zhí guān xì de gài kuò xìng shuō fǎ
Word origin
一分钱一分货 (yīfēnqiányīfēnhuò, "one fen of money, one share of goods") repeats the same pattern on both sides to link each amount of money with a corresponding amount of goods.
Usage tips
- Native English speakers may treat the saying as a guarantee that expensive products are good, but it normally expresses a broad shopping rule rather than certainty about every purchase.
Other meanings
- cheap but low-qualityidiom
- buy cheap and pay twiceidiom
Opposites
- 物美价廉wù měi jià liángood quality at a low priceidiom
- 物超所值wù chāo suǒ zhíworth more than it costsidiom