Chinese word

不值得

Pronunciation

Pinyinbù zhí dé

Meaning

  • verbnot be worth it

Example

这件衣服太贵，不值得买。zhè jiàn yī fú tài guì bù zhí dé mǎi

This piece of clothing is too expensive and is not worth buying.

Illustration for 不值得 (not be worth it)

More examples

这部电影太差，不值得花钱去看。zhè bù diàn yǐng tài chà bù zhí dé huā qián qù kàn

This movie is so bad that it is not worth paying to see.

Core concept

A cost-and-reward balance tipped so far toward cost that the goal no longer justifies the effort.

Common phrases

  • 不值得买bù zhí dé mǎi

    not worth buying

  • 不值得花钱bù zhí dé huā qián

    not worth spending money

  • 不值得去bù zhí dé qù

    not worth going

Similar words

不划算bù huá suàn: A purchase is not a good bargain because the price is high for the benefit received.
划不来huá bù lái: The result of an action is too small to make its cost or hassle worthwhile.
没必要méi bì yào: An action serves no clear purpose because no real need or reason supports it.
不必bú bì: There is no requirement to carry out an action, so leaving it undone is acceptable.

Definition in Chinese

表示为某事物或某行为付出时间、金钱、精力等不能得到相应回报或没有必要，不值得去做或买。biǎo shì wèi mǒu shì wù huò mǒu xíng wéi fù chū shí jiān jīn qián jīng lì děng bù néng dé dào xiāng yìng huí bào huò méi yǒu bì yào bù zhí dé qù zuò huò mǎi

Word origin

不值得 (bùzhídé, "not worth it") is formed by adding 不 (bù, "not") to 值得 (zhíde, "be worth it"), marking a result that does not provide enough value for the resources spent.

Usage tips

  • English uses worth plus an -ing form, whereas this Chinese expression can directly precede a verb; the matching English pattern is "not worth buying," not "not worth to buy."

Other meanings

  • not pay offadjective
  • be pointlessadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word