諺語 · a single proverb
貨比三家不吃虧
Simplified: 货比三家不吃亏
What does 貨比三家不吃虧 (huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī) mean?
貨比三家不吃虧 (huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Compare goods at three shops and you won't suffer a loss." In use it means: Always shop around before buying. Comparing prices and quality across multiple sellers protects you from overpaying. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "Compare goods at three shops and you won't suffer a loss.."
The reading
Patience at the market is its own form of profit. The buyer who walks three streets before deciding sees the full picture of value. Rushed purchases are the friend of the overcharging seller. Knowledge of the market is as valuable as the money in your pocket. Three shops teach you more about a product than any single vendor ever will.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional marketplace proverb, documented across multiple Chinese dialect regions
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 貨比三家不吃虧 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 貨比三家不吃虧 (huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional marketplace proverb, documented across multiple Chinese dialect regions. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 貨比三家不吃虧?
In Mandarin it is huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 貨比三家不吃虧 aloud in Mandarin.