零钱

• Pinyin: líng qián
• Hanzi breakdown: 零 = 雨 + 令 (scattered, small); 钱 = 钅 (metal) + 戋 (small) — money

Meaning

Small change; coins; loose money. Refers to low-denomination coins or the change returned after a purchase.

In everyday use, 零钱 refers to loose coins or small bills in one's pocket or wallet, and also to the change returned after paying with a larger note. Common in shopping and everyday transaction contexts.

Examples

1. 她翻遍了包里所有口袋，才凑够了买一杯奶茶的零钱。 She rummaged through every pocket in her bag before she finally scraped together enough change to buy a milk tea.
2. 现在很多人出门不带零钱，全靠手机扫码支付。 These days, many people go out without change and rely entirely on scanning a QR code with their phone to pay.
3. 公交车上没有找零服务，请提前备好零钱或使用公交卡。 There’s no change-making service on the bus; please have exact change ready or use a transit card.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, shopping, finance

Tone: light

Do Say

• 你有零钱吗？我只有大钞。(Do you have any change? I only have large notes.)
• 我没有零钱，能用手机支付吗？(I don't have any change — can I pay by phone?)

Don't Say

• 把零钱和零花钱混用 — 零钱 is physical change from a transaction; 零花钱 is an allowance or discretionary spending money (Don't confuse 零钱 with 零花钱 — 零钱 means loose change in a transaction, not an allowance)

Origin & History

零 (scattered, small, leftover) + 钱 (money) — scattered small amounts of money; loose change.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal