物以稀为贵

物以稀為貴

wùyǐxīwéiguì

idiom

Meanings

限量版的球鞋物以稀为贵，价格翻了好几倍。

Xiànliàng bǎn de qiúxié wùyǐxīwéiguì, jiàgé fān le hǎojǐ bèi.

Limited-edition sneakers are priceless because they're scarce — prices have multiplied.

这种野生药材物以稀为贵。

Zhèzhǒng yěshēng yàocái wùyǐxīwéiguì.

This kind of wild medicinal herb is precious because it's so rare.

在沙漠里水比金子还贵，真是物以稀为贵。

Zài shāmò lǐ shuǐ bǐ jīnzi hái guì, zhēnshi wùyǐxīwéiguì.

In the desert water is worth more than gold — truly, scarcity makes value.

history

From Tang poet 白居易's poem 《小岁日喜谈氏外孙女孩满月》: 物以稀为贵，情因老更慈 — things are valued for their rarity, affection grows tenderer with age.

物 wù

以 yǐ

稀 xī

为 wéi

贵 guì