cheaper
cheaper — 形容詞
1. costing less money than something else, or less than you expected to pay
較便宜的
價格比另一個低的
costing less money than something else, or less than you expected to pay
The bus to Lyon is much cheaper than the train, so Élise took the bus.
到里昂的巴士比火車便宜很多，所以 Élise 選了搭巴士。
comparative pattern: cheaper than + noun
Lakshmi found a cheaper laptop online than the one at the shop.
Lakshmi 在網路上找到一台比實體店面更便宜的筆電。
cheaper + noun + than + comparison
Apples are cheaper in autumn when local farmers bring them to market.
秋天時蘋果比較便宜，因為當地農夫會把蘋果拿到市場販售。
Asher chose the cheaper of the two bicycles because he wanted to save money.
Asher 在兩台腳踏車裡挑了比較便宜的那台，因為他想省錢。
Buying milk in a large bottle is cheaper than buying two small ones.
買一大瓶牛奶比買兩小瓶還便宜。
- less expensive
neutral, longer phrase; preferred in formal writing
- more affordable
focuses on fitting a budget rather than the raw price
- lower-priced
used before a noun; common in shopping or retail contexts
- more expensive
costing more money
- pricier
informal; often used for a noticeable jump in price
- dearer
British English; somewhat old-fashioned but still used
文法句型
X is cheaper than Y
the cheaper of the two
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'than' to introduce the thing being compared. When 'than' is omitted, the comparison must be clear from context.
常見錯誤
2. charging lower prices than other similar shops, restaurants, or businesses
收費較低的
比同類店家收費更便宜的
charging lower prices than other similar shops, restaurants, or businesses
The bakery on the corner is cheaper than the one inside the supermarket.
街角的麵包店比超市裡那家便宜。
subject = venue; cheaper than + venue
Nadia goes to a cheaper hair salon near the train station every month.
Nadia 每個月都去火車站附近一家比較便宜的美髮店。
cheaper + venue noun
There must be a cheaper supermarket somewhere in this neighbourhood.
這附近一定有更便宜的超市吧。
Marco picked a cheaper restaurant for dinner because the group was on a budget.
Marco 挑了一家比較便宜的餐廳吃晚餐，因為這群人預算有限。
- more affordable
polite, neutral; suitable for any business type
- budget
used before a noun (budget hotel, budget airline)
- more expensive
charging higher prices
- pricier
informal alternative
用法筆記
Subject is usually a shop, restaurant, hotel, or service provider. Distinguish from sense 1, where the subject is the product itself rather than the seller.
3. lower in price than expected while still being enjoyable or worthwhile — a bette
更划算的
便宜但品質還不錯的
lower in price than expected while still being enjoyable or worthwhile — a better deal than similar choices
The little café behind the museum was cheaper and tastier than the famous one nearby.
博物館後面那間小咖啡館比附近那家有名的更便宜也更好吃。
cheaper + and + positive adjective (good-value reading)
Yan recommended a guesthouse in Kyoto that was cheaper but just as comfortable as a hotel.
Yan 推薦了一家京都的民宿，比飯店便宜但一樣舒適。
cheaper but + positive contrast
The local night market sells dumplings that are cheaper and much more delicious than the chain restaurants.
當地夜市賣的水餃比連鎖餐廳便宜又好吃得多。
Elena says the morning film tickets are cheaper and just as good as the evening ones.
Elena 說早場電影票比晚場便宜，品質卻一樣好。
- better value
a noun phrase; covers both low price and good quality
- overpriced
costing more than the quality deserves
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this reading is signalled by pairing 'cheaper' with a positive quality word (and tastier, but just as good). Without that pairing, the meaning defaults to sense 1.
4. costing less but also weaker, thinner, or made with worse materials than other o
品質較差的
便宜但用料較差的
costing less but also weaker, thinner, or made with worse materials than other options
Devika bought a cheaper umbrella, and it broke in the first heavy rain.
Devika 買了一把比較便宜的雨傘，結果第一場大雨就壞了。
cheaper + concrete object + result of poor quality
The cheaper plastic chairs cracked after only one summer on the balcony.
那批比較便宜的塑膠椅放在陽台上一個夏天就裂了。
cheaper + material noun + breakdown event
Cheaper headphones often sound flat and stop working after a few months.
比較便宜的耳機聽起來常常很平，用幾個月就壞。
João warned his sister that cheaper paint usually needs three coats instead of one.
João 提醒妹妹，比較便宜的油漆通常要刷三層才行。
- lower-quality
more neutral; emphasises quality directly
- inferior
formal; clearly negative judgement
- better-made
built to last using stronger materials
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this reading hints that the lower price comes with worse quality. Often the surrounding clause names the quality problem (broke, cracked, sounds flat, needs three coats).
5. more unwilling to spend money than someone else, often in a way that seems mean
更小氣的
比別人更不願花錢的
more unwilling to spend money than someone else, often in a way that seems mean
Christopher is cheaper than his brother and never offers to pay for coffee.
Christopher 比他哥哥還小氣，從不主動請別人喝咖啡。
subject = person; cheaper than + person
Heloísa says her boss is cheaper this year and refuses to buy new office chairs.
Heloísa 說她老闆今年更小氣，連新的辦公椅都不肯買。
cheaper + time period + refusal
Aaron jokes that uncles get cheaper every Christmas with their gift choices.
Aaron 開玩笑說，叔叔伯伯每年聖誕節挑的禮物都越來越小氣。
The new owner is cheaper than the old one and cut the lunch budget in half.
新老闆比上一任更小氣，把午餐預算砍了一半。
- more generous
happy to spend money on or share with others
用法筆記
Subject is a person or a group acting like one (the company, the owner). The comparison frames stinginess as a personal trait. Avoid in polite or formal contexts.
常見錯誤
6. more nasty, mean-spirited, or lacking in fairness than something else
更刻薄的
更不厚道或更卑劣的
more nasty, mean-spirited, or lacking in fairness than something else
That joke about Liang's grandmother was even cheaper than the last one.
那個關於 Liang 奶奶的玩笑比上一個還要更刻薄。
cheaper + than + earlier insult
Daniel said the politician's attack was cheaper than anything he had heard before.
Daniel 說那位政治人物的攻擊比他以前聽過的都還要更卑劣。
cheaper + than + prior unkind act
Mocking someone's accent is cheaper than disagreeing with their actual ideas.
嘲笑別人的口音，比真正反駁對方的想法還要卑劣。
The second columnist's reply was cheaper than the first, full of personal insults.
第二位專欄作家的回應比第一位更卑劣，滿是人身攻擊。
- kinder
showing more care and fairness
用法筆記
Object of the comparison is usually a remark, joke, attack, or tactic. Distinguish from sense 5 (about money) by the surrounding context — here the comparison is about behaviour, not spending habits.
cheaper — 副詞
1. in a way that costs less money than usual, or less than another method or place
更便宜地
以更低的價格去做某事
in a way that costs less money than usual, or less than another method or place
Layla bought her textbooks cheaper online than at the campus bookstore.
Layla 在網路上買教科書比在校園書店買還便宜。
verb + cheaper + online than + alternative
You can travel cheaper if you book the train tickets a month in advance.
如果你提早一個月訂火車票，旅行就可以省更多錢。
modal + verb + cheaper + condition
Nala said she could fly cheaper from Lagos through a smaller airline.
Nala 說她從拉哥斯轉搭較小的航空公司可以飛得更便宜。
Local farmers sell tomatoes cheaper at the Saturday market than at the supermarket.
當地農夫在週六市集賣番茄比在超市賣便宜。
- more cheaply
the formal adverbial form; same meaning
- for less
very informal phrase; same idea expressed differently
- more expensively
doing something at a higher cost
文法句型
verb + cheaper than
do/buy/get + cheaper
用法筆記
Used after a verb to modify the action (how you buy, travel, eat). In careful writing, 'more cheaply' is sometimes preferred, but 'cheaper' is far more common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
cheaper — 名詞
1. a less expensive item picked out from a set of choices — usually the one bought
較便宜者
兩個選項中價格較低的那一個
a less expensive item picked out from a set of choices — usually the one bought when saving money matters more than other features
Ezra compared two coffee makers and went with the cheaper of the two.
Ezra 比較了兩台咖啡機，最後選了比較便宜的那一台。
the cheaper of the two (substantive use)
Among the two sofas in the shop, Lauren picked the cheaper because the family was moving soon.
店裡兩張沙發中，Lauren 挑了比較便宜的，因為全家很快就要搬家。
picked + the cheaper + reason
The mechanic showed Marco two tyres and recommended the cheaper for short city trips.
技師給 Marco 看了兩款輪胎，並推薦比較便宜的那款用於市區短程。
Of the two flight options, Nadia booked the cheaper and saved enough for an extra night in Lisbon.
兩個航班中，Nadia 訂了比較便宜的那班，省下的錢還夠在里斯本多住一晚。
- the less expensive one
longer, clearer phrasing; preferred in formal writing
- the bargain
stresses the saving rather than the comparison
- the pricier one
the more expensive choice in the same set
文法句型
the cheaper of the two
find a cheaper
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'the' and tied to a clear set of two options (the cheaper of the two). Strictly speaking this is the comparative adjective used as a noun rather than a separate lexical noun.