赌钱 (dǔ qián) — to gamble (for money) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

赌钱 (dǔqián) is a separable verb meaning 'to gamble for money' — the 钱 can split from 赌 (e.g. 赌了很多钱). It stresses gambling with cash stakes.

verb

to gamble (for money)

赌钱，。
Tā xǐ huan dǔ qián, dàn zǒng shì shū.
He likes to gamble, but he always loses.
，。
Tā dǔ le hěn duō qián, zuì hòu dōu shū guāng le.
He gambled away a lot of money and ended up losing it all.
，。
Wǒ cóng lái méi dǔ guò qián, yě bù xiǎng xué.
I've never gambled, and I don't want to learn.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

赌 wager and 钱 money combine to mean gamble for 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 賭; 赌 is its simplified writing.

貝者賭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell; money

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

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

The traditional form 賭 combines 貝 (shell; money) with 者, and this shape expresses the meaning to wager or to bet. The simplified 赌 is a shorthand.

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.

金戔錢

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.

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