zhǎngjià: 涨价 - Price Increase, To Raise Prices

• Keywords: zhangjia, zhǎngjià, 涨价, price increase Chinese, inflation China, raise prices in Chinese, Chinese cost of living, what is zhangjia, Chinese economics vocabulary, HSK 4 words
• Summary: Learn about the essential Chinese term 涨价 (zhǎngjià), which means “price increase” or “to raise prices.” This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use in modern China. Understand why you'll hear 涨价 everywhere, from conversations about groceries and rent to news reports on inflation, and learn how to use it correctly to talk about the cost of living.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhǎngjià
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Compound (can function as a verb or a noun)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To raise prices; a price increase.
• In a Nutshell: 涨价 (zhǎngjià) is the go-to word in Chinese for when something becomes more expensive. It's a compound of “to rise” (涨) and “price” (价). You'll hear it constantly when people complain about rising costs for food, rent, or gas. While neutral in a news report, in daily conversation, it almost always carries a negative feeling of financial pressure for the consumer.

• 涨 (zhǎng): This character means “to rise” or “to swell.” The left-side radical 氵 (shuǐ) means “water,” invoking the image of a river's water level rising. This visually captures the idea of an increase.
• 价 (jià): This character means “price” or “value.” The left-side radical 亻 (rén) is the “person” radical, suggesting that price and value are concepts determined by people.
• Together, 涨价 (zhǎngjià) literally translates to “rise price,” a straightforward and logical combination that means the price has gone up.

In modern China, 涨价 (zhǎngjià) is more than just an economic term; it's a constant topic of daily conversation and a source of collective anxiety. China's rapid economic development has lifted millions out of poverty, but it has also led to significant increases in the cost of living, especially in major cities. Therefore, discussing what has 涨价 recently—be it pork, housing, or gasoline—is a common way for people to connect over shared societal pressures. To an English speaker, 涨价 feels like a blend of “price hike” and the effects of “inflation.”

• “Inflation” (通货膨胀 - tōnghuò péngzhàng) is a formal, macroeconomic term. You read about it in financial news.
• “Price hike” suggests a deliberate, often sharp, increase by a specific seller.
• 涨价 (zhǎngjià) is the versatile, everyday word that describes the tangible result of both. It can refer to the slow creep of inflation on grocery bills or a sudden, sharp increase in rent. The ubiquity of this term reflects a cultural focus on economic pragmatism and the importance of financial stability for the family. Complaining about 涨价 is a socially acceptable way to voice concerns about economic pressures.

涨价 is used across all levels of formality, but its connotation changes with the context.

• In Daily Conversation: It's used very frequently and informally among friends, family, and colleagues to complain or comment on rising costs. Here, it has a decidedly negative connotation from the consumer's point of view.
  • “猪肉又涨价了！” (The price of pork went up again!)
  • “我的房租下个月要涨价。” (My rent is going up next month.)
• In Business: A company might use it in a neutral, formal announcement to customers. It's a statement of fact, though an unwelcome one.
  • “由于原材料成本上升，本公司产品将从下月起涨价。” (Due to rising raw material costs, our company's products will see a price increase starting next month.)
• In News and Media: It's used as a standard, neutral term to report on economic trends.
  • “专家预测，今年全球油价将持续涨价。” (Experts predict that global oil prices will continue to rise this year.)

• Example 1:
  • 最近什么东西都涨价了。
  • Pinyin: Zuìjìn shénme dōngxi dōu zhǎngjià le.
  • English: Recently, the price of everything has gone up.
  • Analysis: A very common complaint you'll hear in everyday conversation. `都 (dōu)` emphasizes that the price increase is widespread.
• Example 2:
  • 听说下个月地铁票要涨价。
  • Pinyin: Tīngshuō xià ge yuè dìtiě piào yào zhǎngjià.
  • English: I heard the subway tickets are going to increase in price next month.
  • Analysis: `听说 (tīngshuō)` means “it is said” or “I heard,” a typical way to talk about news or rumors. `要 (yào)` indicates a future action.
• Example 3:
  • 为什么牛肉涨价涨得这么厉害？
  • Pinyin: Wèishéme niúròu zhǎngjià zhǎng de zhème lìhai?
  • English: Why has the price of beef increased so drastically?
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `涨价` as a verb and then repeats the verb `涨` to add a descriptive complement (`得这么厉害`). This is a common structure to comment on the degree of an action.
• Example 4:
  • 房东给我打电话，说要涨价。
  • Pinyin: Fángdōng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà, shuō yào zhǎngjià.
  • English: The landlord called me and said he's going to raise the price (of the rent).
  • Analysis: Here, `涨价` clearly means “to raise the price,” an action taken by the landlord (`房东`).
• Example 5:
  • 这次涨价的原因是进口关税提高了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì zhǎngjià de yuányīn shì jìnkǒu guānshuì tígāo le.
  • English: The reason for this price increase is that import tariffs were raised.
  • Analysis: In this sentence, `涨价` functions as a noun, meaning “the price increase.”
• Example 6:
  • 如果成本继续上升，我们不得不涨价。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ chéngběn jìxù shàngshēng, wǒmen bùdébù zhǎngjià.
  • English: If costs continue to rise, we will have no choice but to raise prices.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence from a business perspective. `不得不 (bùdébù)` means “have no choice but to,” conveying a sense of necessity rather than desire.
• Example 7:
  • 为了应对涨价，我开始自己做饭了。
  • Pinyin: Wèile yìngduì zhǎngjià, wǒ kāishǐ zìjǐ zuòfàn le.
  • English: In order to cope with the price increases, I've started cooking for myself.
  • Analysis: `应对 (yìngduì)` means “to cope with” or “to deal with,” showing how a person reacts to the noun `涨价`.
• Example 8:
  • 这家餐厅五年没涨价了，真难得。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng wǔ nián méi zhǎngjià le, zhēn nándé.
  • English: This restaurant hasn't raised its prices in five years, that's really rare.
  • Analysis: The negative form `没涨价 (méi zhǎngjià)` is used here. `真难得 (zhēn nándé)` means “truly rare” and expresses admiration.
• Example 9:
  • 你觉得他们会涨价百分之十还是百分之二十？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde tāmen huì zhǎngjià bǎifēnzhī shí háishì bǎifēnzhī èrshí?
  • English: Do you think they will raise prices by 10 percent or 20 percent?
  • Analysis: This shows how to quantify the price increase using percentages (`百分之…`).
• Example 10:
  • 全面涨价的时代，省钱才是硬道理。
  • Pinyin: Quánmiàn zhǎngjià de shídài, shěngqián cái shì yìngdàoli.
  • English: In an era of across-the-board price increases, saving money is the only thing that makes sense.
  • Analysis: `全面 (quánmiàn)` means “comprehensive” or “across-the-board.” `才是硬道理 (cái shì yìngdàoli)` is a popular saying meaning “is the absolute principle” or “is what truly matters.”

• `涨价 (zhǎngjià)` vs. `提价 (tíjià)`: This is a key distinction.
  • 涨价 (zhǎngjià) can describe both an active event (the landlord raised the price) and a passive phenomenon (prices rose).
  • 提价 (tíjià) specifically refers to the active decision by a seller to raise a price. `提 (tí)` means “to lift” or “to raise.” A company makes the decision to `提价`, and for the customer, the result is that the product `涨价`了.
  • Example: 公司决定提价。(The company decided to raise prices.) –> 这个东西涨价了。(This thing's price went up.)
• `涨价` vs. Inflation (`通货膨胀 - tōnghuò péngzhàng`):
  • Don't use `通货膨胀` in casual conversation about your groceries. It's like saying “I can't afford this apple due to macroeconomic inflationary pressures.” It's too formal.
  • Stick to 涨价 for the tangible effect you experience daily. `通货膨胀` is the cause; `涨价` is the effect.
• Common Mistake: Subject of the Verb
  • Incorrect: 我要涨价我的学费。(I will raise my tuition fee.) This sounds like you are the one setting the university's fees.
  • Correct: 学费要涨价了。(The tuition fee is going to increase.)
  • Correct: 学校要给学费涨价了。(The school is going to raise the tuition fee.)
  • Remember, the thing that becomes more expensive is the subject, or the person/entity doing the raising is the subject.

• 降价 (jiàngjià) - The direct antonym of `涨价`. It means “to lower prices” or “a price reduction.”
• 提价 (tíjià) - A close synonym meaning “to raise the price,” but it emphasizes the seller's active decision to do so.
• 物价 (wùjià) - The general price of goods; commodity prices. You often hear `物价上涨 (wùjià shàngzhǎng)` which is a more formal way of saying things are getting more expensive.
• 价格 (jiàgé) - The standard, neutral word for “price.”
• 通货膨胀 (tōnghuò péngzhàng) - The formal, economic term for “inflation.”
• 成本 (chéngběn) - Production cost. Rising `成本` is a common reason for `涨价`.
• 打折 (dǎzhé) - To give a discount. Conceptually, it's an opposite action to `涨价`.
• 减价 (jiǎnjià) - Similar to `降价`, it means to reduce the price.
• 上调 (shàngtiáo) - A more formal verb for “to adjust upwards,” often used for prices, salaries, or rates. E.g., `上调价格`.
• 下跌 (xiàdiē) - To fall or decline. Often used for stock prices or housing prices, e.g., `房价下跌`.