Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== dǎzhé: 打折 - To Give a Discount, On Sale ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** dazhe, dǎzhé, 打折, Chinese for discount, on sale in Chinese, how to say discount in Mandarin, Chinese shopping vocabulary, 打八折, 80% price, 20% off, bargain in China. * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese term **打折 (dǎzhé)**, which means "to give a discount" or "to be on sale." This page is a complete guide for beginners on how to understand and use `打折` when shopping in China. We'll break down the unique Chinese system where a discount is expressed as the percentage you *pay* (e.g., `打八折` means you pay 80%), not the percentage taken off. Master this concept to become a savvy shopper in any Chinese-speaking environment. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** dǎzhé * **Part of Speech:** Verb-Object Compound (functions as a verb) * **HSK Level:** HSK 3 * **Concise Definition:** To give a discount on the price of an item. * **In a Nutshell:** `打折` is the most common way to talk about discounts and sales in Mandarin. The concept can be tricky for English speakers. Instead of saying "20% off," Chinese speakers say they will `打八折 (dǎ bā zhé)`, which literally means "strike an eight-fold." This means you pay 80% of the original price. The number represents the percentage of the original price you pay. So, a bigger discount means a smaller number! ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **打 (dǎ):** The core meaning is "to hit," "to strike," or "to beat." It's an incredibly versatile character used in hundreds of common phrases, often indicating an action is being performed (e.g., `打电话 dǎ diànhuà` - to make a phone call). * **折 (zhé):** This character means "to break," "to fold," or in this context, "a discount." Think of folding a piece of paper to make it smaller; here, you're "folding" the price. When combined, `打折 (dǎzhé)` literally means "to strike a discount" or "to break the price." It's a vivid image of actively reducing a price from its original state. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== Shopping in China often involves a different dynamic than in many Western countries. While high-end department stores and chain brands usually have fixed prices, bargaining and seeking discounts are still a huge part of the culture in smaller shops, local markets, and even online. The key cultural difference lies in **how discounts are framed**. The Western concept of "20% off" focuses on what you *save*. The Chinese concept of `打八折 (dǎ bā zhé)` focuses on what you *pay* (80%). This reflects a very direct, practical approach to the final transaction amount. This system is central to massive shopping holidays like **Double 11 (`双十一 Shuāng Shíyī`)** on November 11th, which is the world's largest online shopping day. On this day, virtually every online retailer offers massive `打折` promotions, and understanding the system is crucial for getting the best deals. The phrase `打骨折 (dǎ gǔzhé)`, literally "to break a bone," is slang for a massive, unmissable discount. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `打折` is a ubiquitous term you'll encounter daily. * **In Stores:** Look for signs saying `全场八折 (quán chǎng bā zhé)` which means "Storewide 20% off" (i.e., pay 80% on everything). * **Bargaining:** In a market, after you're given a price, you can ask politely: `可以打折吗？(Kěyǐ dǎzhé ma?)` which means, "Can you give a discount?" * **Online Shopping:** On platforms like Taobao or JD.com, items will clearly state if they are `打折` and will show the original price crossed out next to the new, discounted price. * **Formality:** The term is neutral and can be used in almost any commercial setting, from a street vendor to a formal business negotiation about bulk pricing. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 这件衣服**打折**吗？ * Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yīfu **dǎzhé** ma? * English: Is this piece of clothing on sale? * Analysis: This is the most common and direct way to ask if an item is discounted. It's polite and universally understood. * **Example 2:** * 老板，这个太贵了，能便宜点儿，**打个折**吗？ * Pinyin: Lǎobǎn, zhège tài guì le, néng piányi diǎnr, **dǎ ge zhé** ma? * English: Boss, this is too expensive. Can it be a bit cheaper, can you give a discount? * Analysis: A classic bargaining phrase. `老板 (lǎobǎn)` is a common way to address a shopkeeper. Adding `个 (ge)` makes the request sound a little more casual. * **Example 3:** * 今天商场所有商品**打八折**。 * Pinyin: Jīntiān shāngchǎng suǒyǒu shāngpǐn **dǎ bā zhé**. * English: Today, all products in the mall are 20% off. * Analysis: This demonstrates the core concept. `打八折 (dǎ bā zhé)` means you pay 80% of the price, which is a 20% discount. * **Example 4:** * 如果你买三件，我们可以给你**打七五折**。 * Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ mǎi sān jiàn, wǒmen kěyǐ gěi nǐ **dǎ qīwǔ zhé**. * English: If you buy three, we can give you a 25% discount. * Analysis: `打七五折 (dǎ qīwǔ zhé)` means "to strike a 7.5-fold," which translates to paying 75% of the price. This shows that decimals can be used. * **Example 5:** * 这本书是新到的，所以**不打折**。 * Pinyin: Zhè běn shū shì xīn dào de, suǒyǐ **bù dǎzhé**. * English: This book just arrived, so there's no discount. * Analysis: The negative form, `不打折`, is clear and direct, meaning "no discounts" or "full price." * **Example 6:** * 哇，**打对折**！那就是半价啊！ * Pinyin: Wā, **dǎ duìzhé**! Nà jiùshì bànjià a! * English: Wow, a 50% discount! That's half price! * Analysis: `打对折 (dǎ duìzhé)` is a special term meaning "to fold in half," which is a 50% discount. It's synonymous with `打五折 (dǎ wǔ zhé)`. `半价 (bànjià)` means "half price." * **Example 7:** * 这家店的**打折**活动什么时候结束？ * Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de **dǎzhé** huódòng shénme shíhou jiéshù? * English: When does this store's sales event end? * Analysis: Here, `打折` is used attributively with `活动 (huódòng)` to mean "sales event" or "promotion." * **Example 8:** * 圣诞节快到了，很多商店都开始**打折**了。 * Pinyin: Shèngdànjié kuài dào le, hěn duō shāngdiàn dōu kāishǐ **dǎzhé** le. * English: Christmas is almost here, and many shops have started offering discounts. * Analysis: Shows how `打折` is used to describe a general trend or season of sales. * **Example 9:** * 成为会员后，所有消费都能**打九折**。 * Pinyin: Chéngwéi huìyuán hòu, suǒyǒu xiāofèi dōu néng **dǎ jiǔ zhé**. * English: After becoming a member, you can get a 10% discount on all purchases. * Analysis: `打九折 (dǎ jiǔ zhé)` means you pay 90%, which is a small but common loyalty discount of 10%. * **Example 10:** * 这次**打折**的力度很大，有些东西都**打三折**了！ * Pinyin: Zhè cì **dǎzhé** de lìdù hěn dà, yǒuxiē dōngxi dōu **dǎ sān zhé** le! * English: The discounts are huge this time, some things are even 70% off! * Analysis: `力度 (lìdù)` means "strength" or "intensity." A `打三折 (dǎ sān zhé)` discount (pay 30%) is a very deep discount, equivalent to 70% off. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== The single most common mistake for learners is misunderstanding what the number means. * **The Golden Rule:** The number in `打X折` is the percentage of the price you **PAY**. * **Common Mistake:** A student hears `打七折 (dǎ qī zhé)` and thinks it's a 70% discount. * **Correction:** `打七折` means you pay 70% of the price. The actual discount is 30% off (100% - 70% = 30%). **Example of Incorrect Usage:** * **Incorrect:** `这个可以给我一个三十个百分比的折扣吗？` (Zhège kěyǐ gěi wǒ yíge sānshí ge bǎifēnbǐ de zhékòu ma?) * **Why it's wrong:** While grammatically understandable, it's completely unnatural. Chinese doesn't express discounts using the direct "percent" (`百分比`) structure this way in conversation. The `打折` pattern is standard. * **Correct:** `这个可以打七折吗？` (Zhège kěyǐ dǎ qī zhé ma?) **打折 vs. 减价 (jiǎnjià):** * `打折 (dǎzhé)` refers to a proportional discount (e.g., 20% off). * `[[减价]] (jiǎnjià)` means "to reduce the price" and can refer to a fixed amount (e.g., `减10块 - jiǎn shí kuài` - "reduce by 10 kuai"). `打折` is a type of `减价`. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[优惠]] (yōuhuì) - Favorable, preferential. A broad, slightly more formal term for any kind of special offer, discount, or benefit. * [[促销]] (cùxiāo) - To promote sales. This is a business/marketing term for a sales promotion. You'll see it on advertisements. * [[减价]] (jiǎnjià) - To reduce the price. A more literal term for making something cheaper. * [[讨价还价]] (tǎojià huánjià) - To bargain, to haggle. The process of negotiating a price, which often involves asking for a `打折`. * [[特价]] (tèjià) - Special price. Refers to an item being sold at a specific, reduced price. * [[优惠券]] (yōuhuìquàn) - Coupon. A voucher that gives you a discount, often for a fixed amount (e.g., 20 RMB off). * [[买一送一]] (mǎi yī sòng yī) - Buy one, get one free. A very common type of `促销`. * [[双十一]] (Shuāng Shíyī) - Double Eleven (November 11th). China's massive online shopping festival, famous for its deep discounts. * [[清仓]] (qīngcāng) - Clearance sale. Literally "to clear out the warehouse." These sales often have the biggest discounts.