钞

鈔

chāo

少 + 钅

Definitions

chāo (noun) paper money; banknotes

chāo (verb) to copy; to transcribe

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 少 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鈔.

Semantic: 钅 Phonetic: 少

About

钞, the simplified form of 鈔, is a phonosemantic compound: the metal radical 钅 conveys a link to wealth and currency, while 少 indicates the pronunciation. Originally, it signified seizing or confiscating property. Over time, it also came to mean hand-copying documents. A significant semantic shift followed the introduction of paper money, after which the character became firmly linked to banknotes. In modern usage, 钞 primarily functions as a noun denoting paper bills, although its earlier sense of 'to copy' still appears in certain compound words.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我有一张钞票。

Wǒ yǒu yī zhāng chāopiào.

I have a banknote.

他用钞票买书。

Tā yòng chāopiào mǎi shū.

He uses banknotes to buy books.

这张钞票很新。

Zhè zhāng chāopiào hěn xīn.

This banknote is very new.

我不小心丢了钞票。

Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn diū le chāopiào.

I accidentally lost the banknote.

如果钞票不够，我们就不能去旅行。

Rúguǒ chāopiào bù gòu, wǒmen jiù bù néng qù lǚxíng.

If the money is not enough, we cannot go traveling.

这些钞票比那些旧。

Zhèxiē chāopiào bǐ nàxiē jiù.

These banknotes are older than those.

钞票被小心地保存在保险箱里。

Chāopiào bèi xiǎoxīn de bǎocún zài bǎoxiǎnxiāng lǐ.

The banknotes are carefully stored in the safe.

尽管钞票不是万能的，但没有它很多事情都办不成。

Jǐnguǎn chāopiào bù shì wànnéng de, dàn méiyǒu tā hěn duō shìqing dōu bàn bù chéng.

Although money is not omnipotent, without it many things cannot be done.

Related Characters

Component: 少

Component: 钅

钞