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March 24, 2026
赚(賺)zhuàn(zhuan4)
The character 赚 (zhuàn) primarily means 'to earn' or 'to make a profit,' often in the context of financial gain. It can also imply 'to cheat' or 'to swindle,' particularly when discussing unethical ways of obtaining money. In business discussions or personal finances, this word is frequently used to describe the act of generating income or profit.
Strokes14Radical贝Frequency#1425DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, discussions around financial success and profit-making are common, reflecting the value placed on entrepreneurship and economic achievement. The concept of 赚 is also tied to the broader cultural narrative of hard work leading to financial rewards.
Memory Tip
Imagine a money bag (the character 赚) that is being filled with coins (representing profit). The left side of the character resembles a hand taking money, while the right side symbolizes the act of making or earning. Visualize a person enthusiastically counting their earnings to remember the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 赚
zhuàn(zhuan4)
primary
1to earn
2to cheat
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 赚
赚Simplified
賺Traditional
14Strokes
贝Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1425Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1
Podcast: 赚
Podcast: 赚
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AI Study Notes for 赚
Quick Contrast
盈利 (yínglì) vs 赚 (zhuàn): use 盈利 when specifically referring to profit in a business context, while 赚 can imply earning more generally or through various means, including unethical ones.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a money bag (the character 赚) that is being filled with coins (representing profit). The left side of the character resembles a hand taking money, while the right side symbolizes the act of making or earning. Visualize a person enthusiastically counting their earnings to remember the meaning and pronunciation.
Usage Notes
Be cautious about the context in which you use 赚, as it can have a negative connotation when referring to cheating or swindling. It is often used in informal contexts when discussing profit, so ensure it fits the conversation. Common collocations include 赚钱 (zhuàn qián - to make money) and 赚取 (zhuàn qǔ - to earn).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 赚 connects well with other financial vocabulary such as 钱 (qián - money) and 利润 (lìrùn - profit). Students should focus on using 赚 in sentences related to business or personal finances to enhance their contextual understanding.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, discussions around financial success and profit-making are common, reflecting the value placed on entrepreneurship and economic achievement. The concept of 赚 is also tied to the broader cultural narrative of hard work leading to financial rewards.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 赚 with other similar-sounding words like 赚取 (zhuàn qǔ), which specifically means 'to earn' in a more formal sense. A common error is using 赚 in a context where a more formal term is appropriate, such as in written business proposals.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赚
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Grammar Patterns of 赚
赚 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
Who brings up the baby and who brings home the bacon?
Cultural Notes for 赚
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of making money ('赚钱') is often associated with hard work and cleverness. The character '赚' is used in many business-related phrases, reflecting the importance of entrepreneurship in modern China.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, discussions around financial success and profit-making are common, reflecting the value placed on entrepreneurship and economic achievement. The concept of 赚 is also tied to the broader cultural narrative of hard work leading to financial rewards.
Word Family of 赚
Words Containing This Character4
赚zhuànto earn賺
赚钱zhuànqiánto earn money賺錢
赚取to make a profit賺取
赚头profit (colloquial)賺頭
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 赚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 赚
While 赚 mainly means 'to earn' or 'to make a profit,' it can also refer to dishonest practices, such as cheating or swindling someone. The context in which it is used can change its connotation significantly.
Yes, 赚 is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially in contexts related to business or finance. It is a versatile word that can describe legitimate earnings as well as unethical profit-making.
赚 (zhuàn, zuàn) primarily means 'to earn' or 'to make a profit.' It can also imply 'to cheat' or 'to swindle' in a different context. This character is commonly used in financial discussions or when talking about profit-making.
You can use 赚 (zhuàn) in a sentence like, '我昨天赚了很多钱' (Wǒ zuótiān zhuànle hěnduō qián), which means 'I earned a lot of money yesterday.' It's often used to indicate profit from work or investment.
While 赚 primarily refers to earning money, it can also be used in contexts implying gaining something valuable or advantageous.
赚 is generally considered informal and is more commonly used in everyday conversations rather than in formal writing.
Common phrases include 赚钱 (to make money) and 赚大钱 (to make a lot of money).
