钱 (qián) — money in Mandarin
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#192 most common word · HSK 1 · CEFR A1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
钱 is pronounced qián. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Wǒ méiyǒu hěnduō qián.
I don't have much money.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 钱 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 钱 mean?+
钱 (qián) means "money" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 钱?+
钱 is pronounced qián. It uses the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 钱 in Mandarin?+
钱 is the #192 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 钱 fits
Every HSK 1 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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