Learn how to express monetary amounts in Chinese using measure words and proper formatting
Measure Words in Chinese
Measure words (also called classifiers) are used in Chinese to count nouns, similar to English expressions like “a packet of tea” or “a pair of shoes.” The key difference is that in Chinese, almost every noun requires a specific measure word when being counted.
Measure Words in English vs. Chinese
- a packet of tea
- a piece of furniture
- a pair of shoes
- Every noun has its own measure word
- Used with numbers and demonstratives
- Essential for grammatical correctness
Chinese money is called RMB (人民币 rénmínbì), literally “People’s Money.” The measure words for money are specific units of currency.
元 (yuán)
The basic unit of Chinese currency, equivalent to dollars in USD.
Most commonly used unit in daily transactions.
角 (jiǎo)
One-tenth of a yuan, equivalent to dimes in USD.
Commonly used for amounts less than 1 yuan.
分 (fēn)
One-hundredth of a yuan, equivalent to cents in USD.
Mainly seen in financial documents, not daily use.
1 Basic Money Expression Pattern
The basic pattern for expressing monetary amounts follows the standard Chinese measure word structure: Number + Measure Word + (钱).
Example Expressions
| Structure | Chinese | English Translation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number + 元 |
二十二元(钱)
|
22 yuan | |
| Number + 角 |
五角(钱)
|
5 jiao |
Key Points About 钱 (qián)
钱 (qián) means “money” and is often included in money expressions. However, it can be omitted when the context makes it clear that you’re talking about money.
In most daily conversations, 钱 is omitted for simplicity when the monetary context is obvious.
2 Complex Money Expressions
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Money Expression in Spoken Chinese
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Practice Exercises
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