銭 means “coin, money”

ぜに · zeni

Also: .01 yen

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ぜに, すき

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

セン, ゼン

Taught in grade 6 · 14 strokes

The story

Metal (金) that is shallow/small (戔): tiny pieces of precious metal used as currency. The famous 寛永通宝 (Kan'ei Tsūhō) coins with their square center holes were strung on rope and jingled in merchants' pouches throughout the Edo period. 銭湯 (sentō, public bath) literally means "coin hot water."

Used in 銭湯 (sentou, public bath), 金銭 (kinsen, money/cash), and お賽銭 (osaisen, offering money)

More from Commerce & Trade

• 品 goods
• 値 value
• 利 profit
• 商 commerce
• 税 tax
• 安 cheap
• 高 expensive
• 払 pay
• 収 income
• 富 wealth
• 貯 save
• 借 borrow

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.