钱 (qián) - Money — currency, cash, wealth & also a common Chinese surname.

钱Tone 2

qián ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

钱 · qián

Money — currency, cash, wealth;

also a common Chinese surname.

Money — currency, cash, wealthalso a common Chinese surname.

Usage highlights

MoneyCurrencyWalletSave moneySpend moneySalary

Synonyms

  • 金— gold, money
  • 币— currency, coin
  • 财— wealth, property

Antonyms

  • 贫— poor, impoverished
  • 穷— poor, destitute

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I need to withdraw money from the bank (取钱).
  • This item costs ten dollars (十块钱).
  • He comes from a wealthy family (有钱的家庭).
  • The Qianlong Emperor was a Qing dynasty ruler (乾隆皇帝).

Collocations

  • Money(钱)
  • Currency(货币)
  • Wallet(钱包)
  • Save money(省钱)
  • Spend money(花钱)
  • Salary(工钱)

Idioms

  • Money can make the devil turn the millstone(有钱能使鬼推磨)
  • See money open one's eyes(见钱眼开)
  • Not a single copper in the pocket(囊空如洗)
  • Money is not everything(金钱不是万能的)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the most common Chinese surnames, ranking 2nd in population.
  • Historically associated with wealth and commerce in Chinese culture.
  • The character contains the metal radical (钅), reflecting ancient metal coin currency.
  • Appears in many Chinese idioms about money and wealth.

FAQ