📖 Meaning
Goods are of good quality yet the price is low. It describes products that give buyers excellent value for money. Commonly used to praise a shop, brand, or marketplace.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in Qing dynasty writer Wu Jianren's novel 'Strange Situations of the Past Decade' (近十年之怪现状), chapter ten. In the story, a friend from Suzhou writes a letter saying he wants to have a book printed. He tells the printing house, 'I have long admired your low prices and fine quality, so I have come specially to seek your advice.' The expression was later quoted by Zhu De in his essay on handicraft cooperatives, where he advocated 'good quality and low prices, fair to young and old' against shoddy workmanship.
💡 Example Usage
这家超市的蔬菜物美价廉，每天都会吸引许多顾客前来选购。
The vegetables at this supermarket are of good quality and inexpensive, drawing many customers every day.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 物美价廉
- Pinyin: jià lián wù měi
- Literal Translation: things, good, price, cheap
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4