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March 24, 2026
昂贵(昂貴)ángguì(ang2gui4)
昂贵 (áng guì) means expensive or costly, generally referring to items or services that require a significant amount of money. It can be used in various contexts, including shopping, travel, or luxury goods, to express high prices and the value associated with them.
Frequency#6516DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of expensive items often ties into status and social class. For example, luxury brands are highly coveted, and their prices can reflect not only quality but also social prestige.
Memory Tip
Think of the character 昂 as 'up' (the radical indicates height) and 贵 as 'valuable' or 'precious.' Imagine a tall mountain (昂) made of gold (贵), symbolizing something that is both high in stature and high in cost, making it easy to remember the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 昂贵
ángguì(ang2gui4)
1expensive
2costly
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 昂贵
昂贵Simplified
昂貴Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#6516Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6AdvancedTOCFLL5BCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 昂贵
Podcast: 昂贵
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AI Study Notes for 昂贵
Quick Contrast
高价 (gāojià) - use 昂贵 when emphasizing the quality or luxury aspect, while 高价 focuses more on the price itself.
Memory Mnemonic
Think of the character 昂 as 'up' (the radical indicates height) and 贵 as 'valuable' or 'precious.' Imagine a tall mountain (昂) made of gold (贵), symbolizing something that is both high in stature and high in cost, making it easy to remember the meaning and pronunciation.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 昂贵 with 便宜 (pián yí), which means cheap or inexpensive. This word is more formal and is often used in written contexts or when discussing financial matters. Common collocations include 昂贵的价格 (expensive price) and 昂贵的奢侈品 (costly luxury goods).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 昂贵 connects with other economic and financial vocabulary. Students should focus on using it in sentences to describe costs, emphasizing its contrast with cheaper alternatives. Practice related adjectives to enhance vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of expensive items often ties into status and social class. For example, luxury brands are highly coveted, and their prices can reflect not only quality but also social prestige.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 昂贵 with other words like 高 (gāo), which means 'high' but doesn't imply cost. An incorrect sentence might be '这本书很高' (This book is very high), while the correct version should be '这本书很昂贵' (This book is very expensive).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 昂贵
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Grammar Patterns of 昂贵
昂贵 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
因为正在使用很多____的设备，所以我非常紧张。
I get very nervous because I'm using a lot of expensive equipment.
Example Sentences for 昂贵 (10)
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1
因为正在使用很多昂贵的设备，所以我非常紧张。
yīn wéi zhèng zài shǐ yòng hěn duō áng guì de shè bèi， ， suǒ yǐ wǒ fēi cháng jǐn。
I get very nervous because I'm using a lot of expensive equipment.
After paying a high rent for the house, we still have 150 yuan left.
10
他喝的是昂贵的威士忌酒, 抽的是绿盒子里的幸福牌香烟.
tā hē de shì áng guì de wēi shì jì jiǔ, , chōu de shì lǜ hé zǐ lǐ de xìng fú pái xiāng.
He drank expensive whisky , and he smoked Luck strike cigarettes in the green package.
Cultural Notes for 昂贵
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of expensive items often ties into status and social class. For example, luxury brands are highly coveted, and their prices can reflect not only quality but also social prestige.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, while expensive items also signify quality, they may not always carry the same status implications as in Chinese culture, where social hierarchy plays a larger role.
Frequently Asked Questions about 昂贵
You can say, '这件衣服很昂贵' (This piece of clothing is very expensive).
Yes, 昂贵 is suitable for both spoken and written contexts, though it is more formal.
Some synonyms include 贵 (guì) and 昂贵的商品 (expensive goods), though they can vary slightly in nuance.
