📖 Meaning
In the marketplace there are no two prices for the same good — commerce is fair, honest, and free from cheating. It describes a healthy social atmosphere where merchants conduct business with integrity and buyers need not worry about being overcharged.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Book of Han' (汉书), specifically the 'Biography of Wang Mang.' When Wang Mang held power during the late Western Han dynasty, he implemented a series of economic reforms aimed at standardizing market prices so that no seller could charge two different prices for the same item. The full passage reads, 'He also petitioned that there be no double prices in the market and no lawsuits in government offices,' reflecting an idealized vision of fair governance and social order.
💡 Example Usage
这条街上店铺信誉极好，真正做到市无二价，顾客买得放心。
The shops on this street have excellent reputations, truly practicing fair pricing, so customers can shop with peace of mind.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 市无二价
- Pinyin: shì wú èr jià
- Literal Translation: market, no, two, price
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4