赚

• Pinyin: zhuàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 赚 = 贝 (shell/money) + 兼 (phonetic), indicating monetary gain

Meaning

To earn; to make money; to profit from.

The core verb for earning money or making a profit. Can be used alone or in compounds like 赚钱 (make money). In colloquial speech, also used to mean getting a good deal or benefiting unexpectedly.

Examples

1. 他在股市里赚了不少钱，但也经历过几次惨痛的亏损。 He made quite a bit of money in the stock market, but also experienced several painful losses.
2. 做自媒体虽然自由，但要赚到稳定的收入其实并不容易。 Being a content creator is freeing, but earning a stable income is actually not easy.
3. 这笔生意我们赚了将近百分之三十的利润，算是相当成功了。 We made nearly thirty percent profit on this deal — it was quite successful.

Usage Guide

Context: business, finance, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他靠投资赚了一大笔。(He made a fortune through investments.)
• 这个项目能赚多少？(How much can this project earn?)

Don't Say

• 我赚了一个好朋友。(Don't use 赚 for non-monetary gains — use 交到 for friends)

Origin & History

Contains the 贝 (shell/money) radical on the left, indicating relation to wealth. The right component 兼 serves as phonetic.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal