verb HSK 2
Traditional 花錢
to spend money · to cost money
Meaning
花钱 is a common verb meaning to spend money or incur costs. It combines 花 (to spend, to expend) with 钱 (money). This is one of the most frequently used expressions for discussing expenses and financial transactions in everyday Chinese conversation.
Usage
Used in both formal and informal contexts when talking about spending money on purchases, services, or activities. Can be used transitively (花钱买东西) or intransitively (这个很花钱). Often appears in questions about cost (花多少钱?) and statements about frugality or extravagance.
Examples
- 01我今天花钱买了一件新衣服。.I spent money today to buy a new piece of clothing.
- 02养孩子很花钱。.Raising children costs a lot of money.
Characters
Common collocations
- 花钱买to spend money to buy
- 很花钱very expensive, costs a lot
- 不花钱doesn't cost money, free
- 花了多少钱how much money was spent
Antonyms
Origin
The character 花 originally meant 'flower' but extended to mean 'to spend' or 'to expend,' perhaps from the idea of something being scattered or distributed like petals.