‘询价’ (xún jià) is a compound verb meaning 'to request a quotation' or 'to ask for a price.' It combines the character 询 (xún), meaning 'to inquire' or 'to ask,' and 价 (jià), meaning 'price' or 'cost.' Together, they form a formal, business-oriented term used when seeking pricing information before making a purchase or entering negotiations.

This word is commonly used in commercial contexts — by buyers contacting suppliers, procurement officers drafting emails, or shoppers comparing options online. It implies a professional, purposeful inquiry rather than casual curiosity about cost. While it can appear in spoken Chinese, it’s more frequent in written communication such as emails, contracts, and quotations. Note that ‘询价’ functions as a verb and typically appears after a subject and before an object or complement (e.g., ‘向供应商询价’ — 'inquire with the supplier'). It is not used as a noun without modification (e.g., you wouldn’t say ‘这是询价’; instead, say ‘这是一份询价函’ — 'this is a quotation request letter’).