Difference between revisions of "Counting money"
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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Cash is king, and China is no exception. Mastering how to say quantities of money is vital!
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Cash is king, even though China is now crazy for mobile payments. Either way, though, mastering how to say quantities of money is vital!
  
 
== Asking "How Much Money" with 多少钱 (duōshao qián) ==
 
== Asking "How Much Money" with 多少钱 (duōshao qián) ==
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* <em>多少 钱</em> ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much?</span>
 
* <em>多少 钱</em> ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much?</span>
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* 你 的 手机 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is your cell phone?</span>
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* 你 的 手机 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much was your cell phone?</span>
 
* 我们 的 午饭 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen de wǔfàn <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is our lunch?</span>
 
* 我们 的 午饭 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen de wǔfàn <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is our lunch?</span>
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* 这 杯 咖啡<em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè bēi kāfēi <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is this cup of coffee? </span>
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* 这 杯 咖啡<em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè bēi kāfēi <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much for this cup of coffee? </span>
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* 这 件 衣服 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is this piece of clothing? </span>
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* 这 件 衣服 <em>多少 钱</em>？<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>duōshao qián</em>? </span><span class="trans">How much is this clothing? </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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</div>
 
</div>
  
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Note that ''2.5 RMB'' reads as "两 <em>块</em> 五 (liǎng kuài wǔ)".
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Note that "2.5 RMB" reads as 两块五 (liǎng kuài wǔ).
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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<li class="x"> 二 <em>块</em> 五 <span class="pinyin">èr <em>kuài</em> wǔ </span><span class="trans"> two kuai five mao (2.5) </span></li>
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<li class="x">二 <em>块</em> 五 <span class="pinyin">èr <em>kuài</em> wǔ </span></li>
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<li class="o"> 两 <em>块</em> 五 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> wǔ </span>span class="trans"> two kuai five mao (2.5) </span></li>
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<li class="o">两 <em>块</em> 五 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> wǔ </span><span class="trans"> two kuai five mao (2.5) </span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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If the smaller units are only in tens, you can just say the number of tens. So ''3.8 RMB'' is "三 <em>块</em> 八 (sān kuài bā)." Also this way of speaking is normally only used in matters with less than 100.  
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If the smaller units are only in tens, you can just say the number of tens. So "3.8 RMB" is 三块八 (sān kuài bā). This way of giving the price is normally only used for amounts under 100 RMB.  
  
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When the smaller unit is two, it reads as "二 (èr)" instead of "两 (liǎng)".
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When the smallest unit is 2, it reads as 二 (èr) instead of 两 (liǎng).
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
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<li class="x">两 <em>块</em> 两 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> liǎng </span><span class="trans"> two kuai two mao (2.2) </span></li>
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<li class="x">两 <em>块</em> 两 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> liǎng </span></li>
 
<li class="o">两 <em>块</em> 二 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> èr </span><span class="trans"> two kuai two mao (2.2) </span></li>
 
<li class="o">两 <em>块</em> 二 <span class="pinyin">liǎng <em>kuài</em> èr </span><span class="trans"> two kuai two mao (2.2) </span></li>
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<li class="x">五 <em>块</em> 两 <span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>kuài</em> liǎng </span><span class="trans"> five kuai two mao (5.2) </span></li>
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<li class="x">五 <em>块</em> 两 <span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>kuài</em> liǎng </span></li>
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<li class="o">两 <em>块</em> 二 <span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>kuài</em> èr </span><span class="trans"> five kuai two mao (5.2) </span></li>
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<li class="o">五 <em>块</em> 二 <span class="pinyin">wǔ <em>kuài</em> èr </span><span class="trans"> five kuai two mao (5.2) </span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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The first number is the amount of whole RMB (or dollars etc.), and the second is the amount smaller units (e.g. cents). So ''3.86 RMB'' is  
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The first number is the amount of whole RMB (or dollars etc.), and the second is the amount smaller units (e.g. cents). So "3.86 RMB" is  
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
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And if there's no smaller unit, e.g. 3 RMB, you can just say:
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And if there's no smaller unit, e.g. "3 RMB," you can just say:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 三 <em>块</em><span class="pinyin">sān <em>kuài</em> </span> <span class="trans">Three kuai</span>
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* 三 <em>块</em><span class="pinyin">sān <em>kuài</em> </span><span class="trans">Three kuai</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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块 (kuài) is the more common, informal way to talk about money. More formally you can use 元 (yuán) in exactly the same way. This is similar to the difference between "dollars" and "bucks" in American English, or "pounds" and "quid" in British English. 块 (kuài) is appropriate in more situations than "bucks" or "quid", though.
+
块 (kuài) is the more common, informal way to talk about money. More formally you can use 元 (yuán) in exactly the same way. This is similar to the difference between "dollars" and "bucks" in American English, or "pounds" and "quid" in British English. 块 (kuài) is appropriate in more situations than "bucks" or "quid," though.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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*[[Indicating a Number in Excess]]
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 +
*[[Indicating a number in excess]]
 
*[[Approximating with sequential numbers]]
 
*[[Approximating with sequential numbers]]
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 88-9) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|59}}
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 233-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|88-9}}
 +
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|233-4}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 +
{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|块|A2|Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱)|给 你 五 <em>块</em> 三 <em>毛</em>。|grammar point|ASGL6JOE}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|块|A2|Number + 块 / 元 (+ Number + 毛 / 角) (+ 钱)|给 你 五 <em>块</em> 三 <em>毛</em>。|grammar point|ASGL6JOE}}
 
{{Rel char|元}}
 
{{Rel char|元}}

Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021

Cash is king, even though China is now crazy for mobile payments. Either way, though, mastering how to say quantities of money is vital!

Asking "How Much Money" with 多少钱 (duōshao qián)

Before you learn how to count money in Chinese, make sure you know how to ask "how much money" when you go shopping in China.

Structure

Subj. + 多少钱 ?

Examples

  • 多少 钱 ？Duōshao qián? How much?
  • 你 的 手机 多少 钱？Nǐ de shǒujī duōshao qián? How much was your cell phone?
  • 我们 的 午饭 多少 钱？Wǒmen de wǔfàn duōshao qián? How much is our lunch?
  • 这 杯 咖啡多少 钱？Zhè bēi kāfēi duōshao qián? How much for this cup of coffee?
  • 这 件 衣服 多少 钱？Zhè jiàn yīfu duōshao qián? How much is this clothing?

Stating Quantities of Money

Structure

Chinese has a specific structure for talking about quantities for money:

Number + 块 + Number + 毛

Examples

  • 两 块 五 毛 liǎng kuài wǔ máotwo kuai five mao (2.5)
  • 三 块 八 毛 sān kuài bā máothree kuai eight mao (3.8)
  • 十 块 两 毛 shí kuài liǎng máoten kuai two mao (10.2)
  • 二十 三 块 八毛 èrshí-sān kuài bā máo Twenty-three kuai eight mao (23.8)
  • 五十 块 五 毛 wǔshí kuài wǔ máofifty kuai five mao (50.5)

Note that "2.5 RMB" reads as 两块五 (liǎng kuài wǔ).

  • 二 块 五 èr kuài wǔ
  • 两 块 五 liǎng kuài wǔ two kuai five mao (2.5)

If the smaller units are only in tens, you can just say the number of tens. So "3.8 RMB" is 三块八 (sān kuài bā). This way of giving the price is normally only used for amounts under 100 RMB.

When the smallest unit is 2, it reads as 二 (èr) instead of 两 (liǎng).

  • 两 块 两 liǎng kuài liǎng
  • 两 块 二 liǎng kuài èr two kuai two mao (2.2)
  • 五 块 两 wǔ kuài liǎng
  • 五 块 二 wǔ kuài èr five kuai two mao (5.2)

The first number is the amount of whole RMB (or dollars etc.), and the second is the amount smaller units (e.g. cents). So "3.86 RMB" is

  • 三 块 八 毛 六sān kuài bā máo liùthree kuai eight mao six fen (3.86)

And if there's no smaller unit, e.g. "3 RMB," you can just say:

  • 三 块sān kuài Three kuai

块 (kuài) is the more common, informal way to talk about money. More formally you can use 元 (yuán) in exactly the same way. This is similar to the difference between "dollars" and "bucks" in American English, or "pounds" and "quid" in British English. 块 (kuài) is appropriate in more situations than "bucks" or "quid," though.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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