现款 (xiàn kuǎn) — cash, ready money | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

cashready money

现款，。
Wǒ shēn shàng méi yǒu xiàn kuǎn, zhǐ néng yòng xìn yòng kǎ.
I don't have any cash on me, so I can only use my credit card.
现款，。
Zhè jiā shāng diàn zhī shōu xiàn kuǎn, bù shōu xìn yòng kǎ.
This store only accepts cash, not credit cards.
现款。
Tā qǔ le yì bǐ xiàn kuǎn zhǔn bèi mǎi fáng.
He withdrew a sum of cash to prepare for buying a house.

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.

现款 uses 现 for ready or current and 款 for money, together meaning cash.

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

見

見jiàn現

Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

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

欠欠qiànlacking, desire

Sound part声符shēngfú

柰

柰nài款kuǎn

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

款 pairs 柰, a sound hint, with 欠, a part about lacking or desire.