1.
to haggle; to bargain; to negotiate a lower price
to try to get a seller to lower their price through negotiation
市場で値切った。
I haggled at the market.
彼は値切るのが上手だ。
He's good at bargaining.
中古車を買うとき、値切って半額にしてもらった。
When I bought the used car, I bargained and got it for half price.
TRANSITIVITY:
値切る is transitive - the object is the item being bargained for or the price being negotiated.
RELATED WORDS:
- 値引き (price reduction, discount)
- 割引 (discount)
- 交渉 (negotiation)
CULTURAL NOTE:
Unlike some countries where haggling is expected, 値切る is less common in Japan at regular retail stores. However, it's still practiced at flea markets (蚤の市), electronics stores like those in Akihabara, and when buying cars or appliances. The phrase 値切りは恥ずかしい (haggling is embarrassing) reflects some Japanese reluctance to bargain.