钱 (qián)

A noun meaning money or cash. It is one of the most practical and frequently used nouns in everyday Chinese. The character belongs to the metal radical (钅), reflecting that coins were historically made of metal.

Meanings

[noun] Money, cash, currency.
[noun] A specific amount of money (used in price discussions).

Example Sentences

这个多少钱？ Zhège duōshao qián? How much does this cost?

我没有钱了。 Wǒ méiyǒu qián le. I have no money left.

他花了很多钱买书。 Tā huāle hěn duō qián mǎi shū. He spent a lot of money buying books.

请问，一共多少钱？ Qǐngwèn, yīgòng duōshao qián? Excuse me, how much is it in total?

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
多少钱 (duōshao qián)	how much money / how much does it cost
花钱 (huā qián)	spend money
存钱 (cún qián)	save money
赚钱 (zhuàn qián)	earn money
没钱 (méi qián)	have no money
零钱 (língqián)	small change, loose coins

Memory Hook

多少钱 (how much money) is one of the first questions you need in any Chinese-speaking market. Memorize 钱 alongside 多少, and you can shop anywhere.