Cheap things are not good, good things are not cheap.
Cheap things are not good, good things are not cheap.
Meaning in plain English
Cheap things denied goodness and good things denied cheapness equate price with quality. The saying warns against an appealing low cost.
Example
A reader assesses a resource’s actual usefulness instead of assuming its price proves its quality.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
A critical interpretation does not endorse price as a reliable measure of value. Expensive items can be unsuitable, while affordable or freely available things can be useful. A particular comparison needs evidence about purpose and quality rather than a financial rule or a judgment of those with limited means.
When to use it
Use it critically to distinguish price from supported value.
Keep in mind
No universal price-quality relation or reason to disparage affordability is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Country attributed by the collection
China · source-attributed; earliest origin unverified
- Source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference
Supplied reference B; unit 299; PDF page 32; collection label: China
Reuse and collection notes ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Contributor-confirmed reuse permission
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
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