赏钱 (shǎng qián) — tip; gratuity

Definition

赏钱 (shǎngqián) is a 'tip/gratuity' given for service — more traditional than the everyday word 小费, often used for tips to porters, drivers, or in older contexts.

noun
tipgratuity

Examples

  • ，赏钱。
    Chī wán fàn, tā gěi le fú wù yuán yì xiē shǎng qián.
    After the meal, he gave the waiter some tip.
  • 赏钱。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de zhàng dān lǐ yǐ jīng bāo hán le shǎng qián.
    The bill at this restaurant already includes the gratuity.
  • ，赏钱。
    Zài zhōng guó, dà bù fen dì fāng bù xū yào gěi shǎng qián.
    In most places in China, you don't need to tip.

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.

赏shǎngreward
钱qiánmoney

赏钱 means money given as a reward, with 赏 naming the purpose of the 钱.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賞; 赏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry
Sound part声符shēngfú
商
商shāng賞shǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 賞 pairs 商 for sound with 貝, a cowry shell; the simplified 赏 is a shorthand.

Open 赏 →

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.

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.

Open 钱 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.