How to use 值得
Subject + 值得 + verb phrase; subject + 很值得
值得 evaluates whether an action deserves someone's time, effort, attention, or approval. The action follows it directly, so a thing or experience can be presented as worth reading, trying, studying, or discussing. The subject is often what receives that attention rather than the person who performs the action. A person can appear inside the following phrase when needed.
The predicate may stand alone when the worthwhile action is already understood, and degree words can strengthen the judgment. Do not use 值得 to quote a price or numerical monetary value; that use belongs to 值. Keeping the distinction clear separates an evaluation of doing something from an assessment of its market value.
Examples with pinyin and English
巴金的散文很值得一看。
Ba Jin's prose deserves a look.
虽然不容易，但是值得去尝试。
It's not easy, but it's worth a try.
雷锋助人为乐的精神值得我们学习。
The spirit of altruism merits some study.
这件小事不值得你担心。
This little thing isn't worth your time.
What to remember
- Put the worthwhile action after 值得.
- Let context supply an omitted action when clear.
- Use 值 rather than 值得 for a monetary amount.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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