貨幣 / 货币
huòbì
The English word "money" can be translated into Chinese as 貨幣 / 货币 (huòbì). Wiktionary also lists 金錢 / 金钱 (jīnqián) and 現金 / 现金 (xiànjīn).
Meaning: currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 貨幣 / 货币 | huòbì | |
| 金錢 / 金钱 | jīnqián | |
| 現金 / 现金 | xiànjīn | |
| 錢 / 钱 | chîⁿ, chiân, chhiân | Hokkien |
While 貨幣 / 货币 refers to currency, the standard word for "money" used in daily life is 錢 / 钱. For example, when asking for the price of an item, speakers typically use 錢 / 钱 instead of 貨幣 / 货币.
Which one should you use?
貨幣 / 货币 refers to 'currency' in a formal, economic or technical sense, whereas 錢 / 钱 is the standard word for 'money' in daily life.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, money is often referred to using the term 錢.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 貨幣 / 货币 is huòbì.
Did you know?
- In modern slang, people often use the word 米 ('rice') as a coded substitute for 錢 ('money') in online forums to avoid censorship or attract luck.
- Chinese culture associates the color red with luck and prosperity, which is why 錢 is traditionally given inside red envelopes during the Lunar New Year.
- The formal word 貨幣 / 货币 uses the character 幣, which historically referred to cloth or silk used as a form of barter.
Examples in context
- 这笔资金将被用于新项目的发展。 (Zhè bǐ zījīn jiāng bèi yòngyú xīn xiàngmù de fāzhǎn.)This fund will be used for the development of new projects.
- 孩子们都喜欢拿着零花钱去买糖果。 (Háizimen dōu xǐhuān ná zhe línghuāqián qù mǎi tángguǒ.)The kids love using their pocket money to buy candy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “money” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
