钱箱 (qián xiāng) — cash box; till (in a shop or bank)

Definition

noun

cash boxtill (in a shop or bank)

Measure word · 个

钱箱。
Tā bǎ qián xiāng lǐ de qián dōu ná zǒu le.
He took all the money from the cash box.
钱箱。
Diàn yuán měi tiān xià bān qián dōu yào qīng diǎn qián xiāng.
The shop assistant counts the till every day before leaving work.
钱箱，。
Zhè ge qián xiāng shì jīn shǔ zuò de, hěn ān quán.
This cash box is made of metal and is very secure.

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.

钱 means money, 箱 means a box, together a box 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 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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

𥫗相箱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.