私房钱 (sī fáng qián) — secret stash of money (typically hidden from one's spouse); private savings kept in secret

Definition

Money (usually a spouse's) secretly set aside from shared household funds — a personal hidden stash. Often a touchy topic between husbands and wives in Chinese culture.

noun
secret stash of money (typically hidden from one's spouse)private savings kept in secret

Examples

  • 私房钱，。
    Tā tōu tōu cún le yì xiē sī fáng qián, yǐ bèi bù shí zhī xū.
    She secretly saved some private money for emergencies.
  • ，私房钱。
    Jié hūn hòu, tā měi gè yuè dōu huì liú yí bù fen gōng zī dāng sī fáng qián.
    After getting married, he sets aside part of his salary each month as private money.
  • 私房钱。
    sī fáng qián De wèn tí zài fū qī zhī jiān cháng huì yǐn qǐ máo dùn.
    The issue of private savings often causes conflict between couples.

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.

私房private room
私sīprivate房fángroom
偏正Modifier + head
钱qiánmoney

私房 (private room) + 钱 (money): money kept in one's own room, hence secret savings.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
厶
厶sī私sī
Same sound today

私 combines 禾 and 厶; 厶 originally represented the word, and 禾 was added later.

Open 私 →

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
戶戶hùdoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng房fáng
Same sound today

房 pairs 戶 (door) with 方 (fāng) as a sound part; 方 can also fit 'side,' as in a side room beside the main room.

Open 房 →

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 →

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