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换钱 (huàn qián) — to exchange (currency, bills, etc.); to sell (something) for money

Definition

换钱 covers both senses: exchanging currency (at a bank or counter) and selling something to get money. Often takes the 把 construction when swapping an object into cash.

verb
to exchange (currency, bills, etc.)to sell (something) for money

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ zài yín háng huàn le diǎn qián.
    I exchanged some money at the bank.
  • 。
    Tā bǎ jiù shū dōu huàn chéng le qián.
    He turned all the old books into money.
  • 换钱？
    Nǐ néng bāng wǒ huàn qián ma?
    Can you help me exchange money?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

换huànexchange
钱qiánmoney

换 钱 means exchange money or turn something into money.

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 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →

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 →
Appears in
Money & Currency

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