钱

錢

qián

戋 + 钅

HSK 2.0Level 1

HSK 3.0Level 1

Definitions

qián (noun) money; currency

qián (noun) coin

qián (noun) unit of weight (1; 10 tael)

Etymology

Simplified form of 錢. Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 戋 represents the sound.

Semantic: 钅 Phonetic: 戋

About

钱 is the simplified form of 錢, a phono-semantic compound. The metal radical 钅 (derived from 金) indicates the material, and 戋 provides the sound. Originally, this character didn't mean currency; it named a metal agricultural tool like a spade or weeding implement. Because these spade-shaped tools were commonly traded and became a standard medium of exchange, the meaning shifted entirely to coins and money, erasing the original agricultural definition.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我口袋里有钱。

Wǒ kǒudài lǐ yǒu qián.

I have money in my pocket.

他昨天花了太多钱。

Tā zuótiān huā le tài duō qián.

He spent too much money yesterday.

赚钱真的不容易。

Zhuàn qián zhēn de bù róngyì.

Earning money is really not easy.

如果你有钱，你可以买这本书。

Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu qián, nǐ kěyǐ mǎi zhè běn shū.

If you have money, you can buy this book.

她存钱是为了去旅行。

Tā cún qián shì wèile qù lǚxíng.

She saves money for traveling.

钱能解决一些问题，但不是所有问题。

Qián néng jiějué yīxiē wèntí, dàn bù shì suǒyǒu wèntí.

Money can solve some problems, but not all problems.

尽管他很有钱，但他并不快乐。

Jǐnguǎn tā hěn yǒu qián, dàn tā bìng bù kuàilè.

Although he is very rich, he is not happy.

在现代社会中，钱扮演着重要的角色。

Zài xiàndài shèhuì zhōng, qián bànyǎn zhe zhòngyào de juésè.

In modern society, money plays an important role.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 戋

Component: 钅

钱