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金币 (jīn bì) — gold coin

Definition

noun
gold coin
Measure word · 枚

Examples

  • 金币。
    Tā shōu jí le hěn duō gǔ dài jīn bì.
    He collected many ancient gold coins.
  • 金币。
    Zhè xiē jīn bì shì zài hǎi dǐ fā xiàn de.
    These gold coins were discovered at the bottom of the sea.
  • 金币。
    jīn bì Zài dāng shí shì zhǔ yào de huò bì.
    Gold coins were the main currency at that time.

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.

金jīngold
币bìcoin

金 names gold, and 币 names a coin, so the word means a coin made of gold.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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 幣; 币 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
巾巾jīncloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
敝
敝bì幣bì
Same sound today

The traditional form 幣 combines 敝 (which gives the sound) and 巾 (cloth), and meant silk given as a gift or sacrifice; the simplified 币 is a shorthand.

Open 币 →
Appears in
Money & Currency

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