水
water
A standalone word here.
Mandarin guided learning
Buy something and understand the price
Read what is for sale, ask the price, and understand the quantity they offer.
Picture the idea
First identify the item; then read its price and quantity. 水 is water. 瓶 tells you the unit is a bottle. ¥ and 元 are price clues; spoken prices often use 块 for yuan.
Useful words
茶
tea
Can be a drink or dry tea; check the actual product.
瓶
bottle / bottleful
一瓶水 = one bottle of water.
这个
this one
Point and use it when the product name is unfamiliar.
多少钱
how much money?
The complete price question.
二十五
twenty-five
Two tens + five.
块
yuan in everyday price speech
二十五块 = 25 yuan.
两个
two items
两 before the general counter 个; not 二个 here.
Read the display
| 商品 · item | 单价 · unit price |
|---|---|
水 water | 5元 / 瓶 5 yuan per bottle |
茶 tea | 25元 25 yuan |
面包 bread | 8元 8 yuan |
Find the information
Which product costs 25 yuan?
- 水
- 茶
- 面包
Answer and explanation
茶
Find 25元, then read the product on that same row: 茶.
Build your request
This item + how much + money. Point to the item you mean.
这个多少钱？
How much is this?
The sentence pieces
这个
this one
多少
how much
钱
money
Understand the reply
二十五块。
Twenty-five yuan.
What does this reply mean?
- 25 yuan.
- 15 yuan.
- Two items.
Answer and explanation
25 yuan.
Twenty-five yuan.
我要这个。
I will take this.
Use it in another situation
A unit price is not automatically the total for several items. Ask 一共多少钱？ (Yīgòng duōshao qián? — How much altogether?) and confirm the number before paying.