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假钞 (jiǎ chāo) — counterfeit money

Definition

Compound of 假 (fake) + 钞 (banknote): 'counterfeit money' (fake paper currency specifically). Paired with the measure word 张, like a real bill.

noun
counterfeit money
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 假钞。
    Shāng diàn lǎo bǎn fā xiàn le yì zhāng jiǎ chāo.
    The shop owner found a counterfeit bill.
  • 假钞。
    Yín háng gōng zuò rén yuán jiào wǒ men rú hé shí bié jiǎ chāo.
    The bank staff taught us how to identify counterfeit money.
  • 假钞。
    Jǐng fāng zuì jìn pò huò le yí gè zhì zào jiǎ chāo de tuán huǒ.
    The police recently cracked a gang that produces counterfeit money.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

假jiǎfake
钞chāobanknote

假 describes 钞 as counterfeit, giving fake banknotes.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鈔; 钞 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
少
少shǎo鈔chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 鈔 has 金 as the meaning part and 少 for the sound.

Open 钞 →
Appears in
Crime & PoliceMoney & Currency

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