找钱 (zhǎo qián) — to give change, to make change

Definition

找钱 (zhǎo qián) is a separable verb meaning 'to give change back to a customer.' The verb-object pair splits in usage, e.g. 找您钱 / 找了我十五块.

verb

to give changeto make change

，。
Nín fù le yì bǎi kuài, wǒ zhǎo nín qián.
You paid 100 yuan — I'll give you change.
。
Shòu huò yuán wàng le zhǎo qián gěi wǒ.
The sales clerk forgot to give me change.
。
Tā zhǎo le wǒ shí wǔ kuài líng qián.
He gave me 15 yuan in small change.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

找zhǎogive change

找 means to give change, and 钱 is the money returned; the word describes making change.

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.

扌戈找

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

戈

戈gē找zhǎo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

找 pairs 扌 (hand) with 戈 as a sound part. The idea that it shows a hand looking for a halberd is only a memory trick.

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 錢; 钱 is its simplified writing.

金戔錢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal; gold; money

Sound part声符shēngfú

戔

戔jiān錢qián

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 錢 combines 金, meaning metal or money, with 戔, which gives the sound; the simplified 钱 is a later shorthand.

Appears in