便宜 pián yi
“cheap; inexpensive; small advantages”
adjective, verb, adjective / nounHSK 2 · 2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
便宜 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 157: 便宜 piányi — Level 1; official annotation 1 (形). PDF page 83
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 便宜
便宜 means "cheap, inexpensive" — something costs little money. It is an adjective, so it comes after adverbs like 很, 太, 不 or before 的 + noun (便宜的衣服). A very common pattern is 便宜一点儿, used to ask a seller for a lower price.
例句Example sentences
- 这家饭馆的菜很便宜。zhè jiā fàn guǎn de cài hěn pián yi.The food at this restaurant is very cheap.
- 今天的苹果便宜，我买了两斤。jīn tiān de píng guǒ pián yi, wǒ mǎi le liǎng jīn.The apples are cheap today, so I bought two jin.
- 太贵了，能不能便宜一点儿？tài guì le, néng bu néng pián yi yì diǎnr?That's too expensive — could you make it a bit cheaper?
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗这个比那个很便宜。
✓这个比那个便宜。
In a 比 comparison you cannot use 很 before the adjective; use the adjective alone or 更.
义项All meanings
- biàn yí: convenient
- pián yi: cheap; inexpensive; small advantages; to let sb off lightly