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March 24, 2026
钱(錢)qián(Qian2)
The character 钱 (qián) commonly means 'money' or 'coin'. It is frequently used in everyday conversations about finances, transactions, and prices. Additionally, it can refer to the surname Qian, which is a common family name in China.
Strokes10Radical钅Frequency#148DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, money plays a significant role during festivals like the Lunar New Year, where giving 'red envelopes' filled with cash symbolizes good luck and prosperity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a treasure chest (the character 钱) filled with coins, representing wealth and money. The left side resembles a 'bowl' (口) holding coins, while the right side (金) represents metal, emphasizing that most money is made from metal.
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AI Study Notes for 钱
Quick Contrast
人民币 (rénmínbì) vs 钱 (qián): use 人民币 when specifically referring to the Chinese currency, while 钱 is a more general term for money or coins.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tones when using 钱 (qián); it’s often confused with 乾 (gān), which means 'dry' or 'to do'. When discussing money, common collocations include '花钱' (spend money) and '赚钱' (make money).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 钱 connects well with other basic vocabulary related to shopping and transactions, such as '买' (to buy) and '卖' (to sell). Focus on practicing its use in sentences, especially in contexts involving prices.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 钱 (qián) with other characters that have similar sounds but different meanings, such as 亲 (qīn, meaning 'to kiss' or 'close'). For example, saying '我有亲' (wǒ yǒu qīn) instead of '我有钱' (wǒ yǒu qián) means 'I have kisses' instead of 'I have money'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 钱
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Simplified form of 錢. Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 戔 represents the sound.
1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
2The sound half戋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymoney
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 钱? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
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Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 钱?
Decomposition of 钱
IDS Structure⿰钅戋
钱Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
戋jian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 钱?
How to say coin in Chinese
“coin” in Chinese is钱qián
The character 钱 (qián) commonly means 'money' or 'coin'. It is frequently used in everyday conversations about finances, transactions, and prices. Additionally, it can refer to the surname Qian, which is a common family name in China.
When to use 钱
Be cautious with the tones when using 钱 (qián); it’s often confused with 乾 (gān), which means 'dry' or 'to do'. When discussing money, common collocations include '花钱' (spend money) and '赚钱' (make money).
钱 or something close to it
人民币 (rénmínbì) vs 钱 (qián): use 人民币 when specifically referring to the Chinese currency, while 钱 is a more general term for money or coins.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 钱 (qián) with other characters that have similar sounds but different meanings, such as 亲 (qīn, meaning 'to kiss' or 'close'). For example, saying '我有亲' (wǒ yǒu qīn) instead of '我有钱' (wǒ yǒu qián) means 'I have kisses' instead of 'I have money'.
Write 钱
钱
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Grammar Patterns of 钱
钱 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
