金钱

The Chinese word 金钱 (jīnqián) for "money" is composed of two characters: 金 (jīn), meaning "metal" or "gold," and 钱 (qián), meaning "coin" or "currency." The character 金 is one of the oldest Chinese characters, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). It was originally a pictograph of a piece of metal, and over time it came to be used to represent the concept of "metal" or "gold." The character 钱 is also an ancient character, dating back to the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). It was originally a pictograph of a cowrie shell, which was used as a form of currency in ancient China. Over time, the character 钱 came to be used to represent the concept of "coin" or "currency."The combination of the characters 金 and 钱 to form the word 金钱 is a natural one, as metal and coins are both forms of currency. The word 金钱 is first attested in the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), and it has been in continuous use ever since. Today, 金钱 is the most common word for "money" in Chinese, and it is used in both formal and informal contexts.