In 15 Seconds
- Used for selling items to the highest bidder in a competition.
- Combines 'strike' and 'sell', referencing the auctioneer's gavel.
- Works for high-end art, real estate, or online bidding.
Meaning
This word describes the process of selling something to the highest bidder, just like an auction house or an online bidding war.
Key Examples
3 of 6Discussing a famous painting
这幅画将在明天的拍卖会上出售。
This painting will be sold at tomorrow's auction.
Texting a friend about a bargain
我在网上拍卖买到了这双鞋，超便宜！
I got these shoes at an online auction, so cheap!
A formal business announcement
公司决定拍卖闲置的办公大楼。
The company decided to auction off the unused office building.
Cultural Background
The term reflects the physical action of a gavel hitting a table to finalize a sale. While auctions were once seen as niche or high-end in China, the rise of e-commerce platforms like Taobao has made 'bidding' a daily activity for millions. It symbolizes the shift toward transparent, market-driven pricing in modern Chinese society.
The 'Strike' Logic
Remember the first character `拍` means to clap or hit. It helps you visualize the auctioneer hitting the gavel!
Don't confuse with 'Sale'
If a store has a 50% off 'sale', use `打折` or `促销`, not `拍卖`. `拍卖` is only for bidding.
In 15 Seconds
- Used for selling items to the highest bidder in a competition.
- Combines 'strike' and 'sell', referencing the auctioneer's gavel.
- Works for high-end art, real estate, or online bidding.
What It Means
拍卖 is the standard Chinese term for an auction. It combines the word for 'striking' (like a gavel) with 'selling'. It describes that high-energy environment where prices keep climbing. You can use it as a noun or a verb. It covers everything from high-end art to cheap storage units.
How To Use It
You usually place 拍卖 after the object you are selling. For example, you 'auction off' a house or a painting. You can say 拍卖公司 for an auction house. If you are participating, you are 'joining' the 拍卖会. It is a very flexible word in business and daily life.
When To Use It
Use it when discussing real estate or rare collectibles. It is perfect for talking about online platforms like eBay or Xianyu. You will see it in news headlines about record-breaking sales. Use it when you want to sound precise about a sale. It implies a competitive bidding process is happening.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use 拍卖 for a regular garage sale with fixed prices. If you are just haggling at a market, that is 讲价. Avoid using it for a simple 'for sale' sign. It specifically requires a bidding element. Don't use it if you are just giving something away for free.
Cultural Background
In China, the 'gavel' is a big symbol of the 拍卖 process. Historically, auctions weren't the primary way to trade in ancient China. Today, however, China has some of the world's largest auction markets. Cities like Beijing and Hong Kong are global hubs for art auctions. It represents the fast-paced, competitive nature of the modern Chinese economy.
Common Variations
You will often hear 网上拍卖 for online auctions. Another common one is 慈善拍卖 for charity auctions. If something is being sold by the government or court, it's 司法拍卖. People also use 拍 as a shorthand verb in casual contexts. For example, 'I grabbed this on auction' becomes 我拍到了.
Usage Notes
The word is very stable across all regions of China. Just remember that the 'strike' (`拍`) part is the key to remembering it's an auction specifically, not just any sale.
The 'Strike' Logic
Remember the first character `拍` means to clap or hit. It helps you visualize the auctioneer hitting the gavel!
Don't confuse with 'Sale'
If a store has a 50% off 'sale', use `打折` or `促销`, not `拍卖`. `拍卖` is only for bidding.
The 'Second-Hand' Boom
In China, the app 'Xianyu' (Idle Fish) is where most young people experience `拍卖` daily. It's a huge part of the circular economy.
Examples
6这幅画将在明天的拍卖会上出售。
This painting will be sold at tomorrow's auction.
Standard use of the noun form for an event.
我在网上拍卖买到了这双鞋，超便宜！
I got these shoes at an online auction, so cheap!
Informal use for online shopping victories.
公司决定拍卖闲置的办公大楼。
The company decided to auction off the unused office building.
Using the word as a verb in a corporate setting.
你的房间乱得像个拍卖场！
Your room is so messy it looks like an auction house!
Hyperbole comparing chaos to a busy auction floor.
为了还债，他不得不拍卖祖传的老房子。
To pay off debts, he had to auction his ancestral home.
Shows the weight and finality of an auction.
这个古董的起拍价是多少？
What is the starting bid for this antique?
Uses a variation 'starting auction price'.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence about a charity event.
今晚有一场慈善___，所有收入都会捐给学校。
Charity events often use auctions (拍卖) to raise funds.
How do you say 'to auction off' as a verb?
政府准备___这块土地。
拍卖 is the standard verb for auctioning property or land.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality of '拍卖'
Buying things on apps like Xianyu.
网上拍卖
General conversation about sales.
拍卖会
Legal or high-end art sales.
司法拍卖
Where you'll see '拍卖'
Art Gallery
Selling a masterpiece
Courtroom
Liquidating assets
Phone App
Bidding on vintage toys
Real Estate
Selling a luxury villa
Practice Bank
2 exercises今晚有一场慈善___，所有收入都会捐给学校。
Charity events often use auctions (拍卖) to raise funds.
政府准备___这块土地。
拍卖 is the standard verb for auctioning property or land.
🎉 Score: /2
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNot really. A yard sale usually has fixed prices. Use 拍卖 only if people are competing with different prices for the same item.
It's both! You can say 'The auction is starting' (拍卖开始了) or 'They are auctioning the car' (他们在拍卖汽车).
It is called a 拍卖行 or 拍卖公司. The former sounds a bit more traditional or high-end.
You can say 我拍到了 or 竞拍成功. The first one is very common in casual online shopping.
It is neutral. It's used in serious legal documents but also in casual texts about buying things on an app.
It means 'starting bid price'. You'll see this on every auction listing.
Only in very specific contexts like a 'charity bachelor auction'. Otherwise, it sounds like human trafficking, so be careful!
拍卖 is the act of selling by auction. 竞拍 is the act of bidding in that auction.
Yes, the wooden gavel (拍卖槌) is the standard tool used by an auctioneer in China just like in the West.
People often just use the single character 拍 as a verb when talking about buying something through a bid.
Related Phrases
竞拍 (To bid)
出价 (To offer a price/bid)
成交 (To close a deal)
起拍价 (Starting bid)
中标 (To win a bid)
