砍价 (kǎn jià) literally means 'to cut price' — the character 砍 (kǎn) means 'to chop' or 'to slash', and 价 (jià) means 'price'. Together, they form a vivid, colloquial verb meaning to bargain or haggle, especially in informal, face-to-face settings like street markets, small shops, or secondhand transactions. It implies an active, sometimes playful or assertive attempt to lower the seller's asking price through negotiation.

This term is widely used across mainland China and carries a neutral-to-informal register — it’s common in daily speech but rarely appears in formal contracts or official documents. While not inherently rude, successful 砍价 often depends on tone, relationship, and local custom; in some contexts (e.g., fixed-price department stores), attempting to 砍价 may be inappropriate. It reflects a practical, resource-conscious aspect of everyday economic interaction.