NetChai Chinese

How to Say “20% off” in Chinese

打八折
dǎ bā zhé
20% off
A customer's hand points at clothing, a shop assistant gestures a special deal, illustrating “20% off” in Chinese: 打八折 (dǎ bā zhé)

打八折 (dǎ bāzhé) means "20% off" or "80% of the original price." It is commonly used in retail and service industries to announce a discount.

What does 打八折 (dǎ bā zhé) mean?

打八折 (dǎ bā zhé) means “20% off” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “hit eight fold.”

When to use it

Neutral and widely understood. This phrasing is standard for discounts in China. When a store says something is "打八折," it means you pay 80% of the original price, so it's a 20% discount.

How to pronounce it

Sounds like “dah BAH-juh.” The first syllable is a falling tone, and the second is a high-level tone, with the third syllable often said lightly.

Other ways to say it

  • 打九折dǎ jiǔ zhé10% off (pay 90%)
  • 打七折dǎ qī zhé30% off (pay 70%)
  • 打对折dǎ duìzhé50% off (half price)

Examples

这家商店今天所有商品都打八折。
zhè jiā shāngdiàn jīntiān suǒyǒu shāngpǐn dōu dǎ bā zhé.
This store is offering 20% off all items today.
会员卡可以打八折。
huìyuánkǎ kěyǐ dǎ bā zhé.
Membership cards can get a 20% discount.
买两件衣服可以打八折。
mǎi liǎng jiàn yīfu kěyǐ dǎ bā zhé.
You can get 20% off if you buy two pieces of clothing.
Pro tip: In Chinese, discounts are expressed as the percentage of the original price you pay. So, 打八折 means you pay 80%, which is a 20% discount.

Related phrases

现在有活动 · We have a promotion right now买一送一 · Buy one get one free第二件半价 · Second item half price
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