值得...
Reach for 值得 when you want to say something is 'worth doing' or 'deserves' attention — 'worth a try,' 'worth noting,' 'worth the price.' It comes before a verb or a clause and casts a positive judgment that the effort, money, or attention to follow is justified. Use it in everyday speech ('this restaurant is worth trying') and in writing/commentary ('this trend is worth watching').
Structure
[SUBJECT] 值得 [VERB / VERB PHRASE / CLAUSE]
zhídé + verb / verb phrase
How to Think About It
值得 is followed by what's worth doing, not by who's worth doing it for or for how much. '这本书值得看' — the book deserves reading. The implied judgment is positive: the return on the time/effort justifies it. To negate, use 不值得 ('not worth it'). A common written fixed phrase is '值得注意的是' ('what's worth noting is...'), which front-loads a key point in essays and analysis pieces.
Examples
这部电影非常值得看。
Zhè bù diànyǐng fēicháng zhídé kàn.
This movie is really worth watching.
值得注意的是, 数据已经连续三个月下降。
Zhídé zhùyì de shì, shùjù yǐjīng liánxù sān ge yuè xiàjiàng.
What's worth noting is that the data has been falling for three months in a row.
为了健康, 早点睡觉是值得的。
Wèile jiànkāng, zǎo diǎn shuìjiào shì zhídé de.
For your health, going to bed early is worth it.
Common Mistake
Learners follow 值得 with a noun ('this is worth a try') and write '这值得一个尝试.' But 值得 takes a verb/verbal phrase directly, not a noun phrase with 一个 + classifier. The right form is '这值得试一试' or '这值得一试.'
这家餐厅值得一个尝试。
这家餐厅值得试一试。
Don't Confuse With
应该 + Verb
应该 means 'should' as a recommendation or obligation. 值得 means 'is worth' — it justifies the investment without commanding it. '你应该去' = you should go; '这值得去' = it's worth going.
配 + Verb
配 (to deserve / be worthy of) overlaps slightly but usually appears in moral contexts ('he doesn't deserve her,' '他不配她'). 值得 is broader — worth the cost, the time, the attention.
划算
划算 is specifically 'worth it' in a cost-benefit / financial sense — a good deal. 值得 is more general and can apply to time, effort, attention, or moral worth — not just money.
Practice
这本书很 ___ 看, 我读了三遍。
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值得
值得 ___ 意的是, 他从来没有抱怨过。
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注
Put in order: [值得 / 这个 / 一去 / 城市]
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这个城市值得一去。
Translate to Chinese: 'This experience is worth remembering.'
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这次经历值得记住。
Write one sentence using 值得 to recommend something (a book, place, activity) you found worthwhile.
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Example answer: 这家咖啡店的手冲咖啡非常值得一试。 (This coffee shop's pour-over coffee is really worth trying.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: