值 from HSK Level 3 Vocabulary List

The Chinese character 值 (zhí) is composed of two parts: the radical 宀 (miàn), which represents a roof or shelter, and the phonetic component 直 (zhí), which represents something straight or upright. The original meaning of 值 was "to be in charge of" or "to be responsible for". This meaning is still preserved in the modern Chinese word 值班 (zhíbān), which means "to be on duty".Over time, the meaning of 值 expanded to include the idea of "value" or "worth". This is because something that is in charge of or responsible for something else is often considered to be valuable or important. For example, the Chinese word 值钱 (zhíqián) means "valuable" or "worth money".The character 值 can also be used as a verb, meaning "to be worth" or "to be equal to". For example, the Chinese sentence 这本书值一百块钱 (zhè běn shū zhí yībǎi kuài qián) means "This book is worth one hundred yuan".The character 值 is a common character in Chinese, and it is used in a variety of words and phrases. By understanding the etymology of 值, you can better understand the meaning and usage of this important character.