Prices: 块, 毛, 元, 分
【一43】钱数表示法
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
Chinese money is the yuan (RMB). Three units:
• 元 (yuán) in writing = 块 (kuài) in speech: 1 yuan
• 角 in writing = 毛 (máo) in speech: 0.10 yuan
• 分 (fēn): 0.01 yuan (rare today)
Read from biggest to smallest, and the last unit is often dropped: ¥9.30 = 九块三(毛); ¥15.63 = 十五块六毛三(分).
A gap is marked with 零: ¥25.08 = 二十五块零八(分); ¥105 = 一百零五块.
The question: 多少钱? (How much?), 这个多少钱? 钱 is often added: 十块钱.
Examples
这个多少钱?
Zhège duōshao qián?How much is this one?
九块三。
Jiǔ kuài sān.9.30 yuan.
那个十五块六毛三。
Nàge shíwǔ kuài liù máo sān.That one is 15.63 yuan.
这个书包一百零五块。
Zhège shūbāo yìbǎi líng wǔ kuài.This schoolbag costs 105 yuan.
两块钱。
Liǎng kuài qián.Two yuan.
Common mistakes
✗ 二块 → ✓ 两块 (块 is a measure word).
✗ 这个是多少钱? → ✓ 这个多少钱? (no 是 needed).
✗ 十五块和六毛 → ✓ 十五块六毛.