How to use “值得” in Chinese

值得 (zhídé) means "to be worth" doing something, and is often placed before a verb or a verb phrase. Note that it is used to describe whether an action is worth it but cannot be used to state that something is worth a certain monetary value where 值 must be used alone.

值得 as an adverb

Basic Structure

值得 + Verb/[Verb phrase]

Examples:

Bājīn de sǎnwén hěn zhídé yíkàn.

巴金的散文很值得一看。

Ba Jin's prose is worth reading.

Zhè jiàn xiǎoshì bú zhídé nǐ huā shí jiān.

这件小事不值得你花时间。

This little thing isn't worth your time.

值得 as an adjective

值得 can also be used as an adjective – on its own, or following a verb phrase.

Structure

[Verb phrase] + 值得

Examples

zhídémɑ? zhídé.

值得吗？值得。

Is it worth it? Yes.

Shànɡdàxué(hěn)zhídé.

上大学(很)值得。

It is worthwhile to attend a university.

Xuéhànyǔshìzhídéde.

学汉语是值得的。

It is worthwhile to learn Chinese

When expressing that something is not worth doing, one can say something is either 不值得 or 值不得.