代价

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Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word 代价 (dài jià) primarily means "price" or "cost," but it often refers to the figurative cost or sacrifice required to achieve something, such as effort, time, or loss. It is commonly used to express that success or benefits come with a price.

Common Collocations

  • 代价 (fùchū dàijià): to pay a price or cost, often used when discussing sacrifices.
  • 代价 (dàijià gāo'áng): high cost or expensive price, used for both literal and figurative costs.
  • 代价 (dàijià cǎnzhòng): heavy price, emphasizing serious consequences or losses.

Usage Notes

When using 代价, speakers often imply that something valuable or important is gained but at a significant cost. It is frequently used in formal or written contexts but also appears in spoken language when discussing consequences or sacrifices.

Avoid confusing 代价 with 价格 (jiàgé), which strictly means the monetary price of goods or services. 代价 has a broader meaning including non-monetary costs.

Example Sentences

The price of success is often hard work and perseverance.

To protect the environment, we must pay a certain price.

The cost of this investment failure is very high.