硬幣 / 硬币
yìngbì
In Chinese, the phrase for "coin" is 硬幣 / 硬币 (yìngbì). Wiktionary also lists 銅錢 / 铜钱 (tóngqián).
Meaning: (currency) a piece of currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 硬幣 / 硬币 | yìngbì |
| 銅錢 / 铜钱 | tóngqián |
The word refers to a piece of currency. While 硬幣 / 硬币 is the general term for a coin, you may encounter more specific terms depending on the material or historical context.
Which one should you use?
硬幣 / 硬币 is the standard modern term for a metal coin. In contrast, 銅錢 / 铜钱 refers specifically to traditional copper coins used in ancient China, often with a hole in the center.
How do you pronounce it?
yìngbì
Did you know?
- The square hole in traditional 銅錢 symbolized the Earth, while the round shape of the coin symbolized the Sky. This reflected ancient Chinese cosmological beliefs.
- The character for 'hard' in 硬幣 / 硬币 is the same one used to describe 'tough' or 'stubborn' personalities. In a metaphorical sense, calling someone 硬 / 硬 can imply they are unyielding or difficult to deal with.
- The character for 'money' 錢 originally referred to a type of weight or scale used to weigh metal before coins were standardized.
Examples in context
- 请给我零钱Please give me change.
- 请给我一些硬币Please give me some coins.
- 我对收集硬币很感兴趣I'm interested in collecting coins.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coin” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
