零花钱

• Pinyin: líng huā qián
• Hanzi breakdown: 零 = 雨 (rain) + 令 (command) — scattered, leftover; 花 = 艹 + 化 — flower, to spend; 钱 = 钅 (metal) + 戋 (small) — money

Meaning

Pocket money; allowance; small sums of money for casual personal spending.

Refers to a small, irregular amount of money for personal, discretionary use — typically given to children by parents or set aside from a salary for minor purchases. Common in family and everyday financial contexts.

Examples

1. 妈妈每周给他五十元零花钱，让他从小学会自己安排消费。 His mom gives him 50 yuan a week in allowance so he can learn from an early age to manage his own spending.
2. 她把积攒下来的零花钱全部用来买了一本心仪已久的精装书。 She used all the allowance money she’d saved up to buy a hardcover book she’d wanted for a long time.
3. 对许多大学生来说，兼职打工是获得额外零花钱的主要途径。 For many college students, working part-time is the main way to get extra spending money.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, family, finance

Tone: light

Do Say

• 我每个月有两百块零花钱可以自由支配。(I have 200 yuan in pocket money each month to spend as I like.)
• 孩子需要学会合理管理自己的零花钱。(Children need to learn to manage their pocket money wisely.)

Don't Say

• 把大额生活费或工资称为'零花钱' — 零花钱 implies a small, informal amount; use 生活费 or 薪资 for larger sums (Don't refer to a living allowance or salary as 零花钱 — use 生活费 or 收入 instead)

Origin & History

零 (scattered, small, leftover) + 花 (to spend; flower) + 钱 (money) — scattered small amounts set aside for spending.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal