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现钱 (xiàn qián) — cash; ready money

Definition

现钱 specifically means 'ready money / cash in hand' you can pay on the spot. It's narrower than the broader 现金, which also covers bank deposits and any immediately available funds.

noun
cashready money

Examples

  • ，现钱。
    Wǒ bú yào zhǎo líng, gěi xiàn qián jiù xíng.
    I don't need change, just give me cash.
  • 现钱。
    Zhè jiā xiǎo diàn zhī shōu xiàn qián.
    This small shop only accepts cash.
  • 现钱？。
    Nǐ yǒu xiàn qián ma? wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè ge.
    Do you have cash? I want to buy this.

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.

现xiànready
钱qiánmoney

“现” means ready and “钱” means money: money available at hand.

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.

Open 现 →

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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