1.
cheap item; low-quality goods; bargain stuff
An inexpensive item, typically implying poor quality. Often used with a negative connotation to suggest something is cheaply made or not worth buying.
これは安物だからすぐ壊れる。
This is a cheap item, so it breaks easily.
安物の傘はすぐに壊れてしまう。
Cheap umbrellas break right away.
安物買いの銭失いという言葉があるように、安いものには理由がある。
As the saying 'buy cheap, lose money' goes, cheap things come cheap for a reason.
Composed of 安い (cheap) + 物 (thing). Almost always carries a negative nuance — it does not simply mean "inexpensive" but implies low quality. The word is commonly used when criticizing the quality of goods.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 安物の服: cheap clothes
- 安物の時計: cheap watch
- 安物買いの銭失い: penny wise, pound foolish (proverb)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 格安: bargain-priced — neutral or positive, emphasizing good value
- 粗悪品: shoddy goods — more formal and strongly negative
- お買い得: good deal — positive connotation, emphasizing value
CULTURAL NOTE:
The proverb 安物買いの銭失い is widely known and means buying cheap things ends up costing more in the long run, equivalent to the English "buy cheap, buy twice."