4 · 40 words

Money and personal finance

Savings, interest, tax, insurance, mortgages and shares as they touch everyday life.

Personal finance in Chinese rests on a few characters. 款(kuǎn) is a sum of money (存款(cúnkuǎn), savings); 本(běn) is the money you started with (本金(běnjīn), 成本(chéngběn)); 利(lì) is what it earns (利息(lìxī)). Prices and shares simply 涨(zhǎng) and 跌(diē), rise and fall, and a bank deposit is either 活期(huóqī), instant access, or 定期(dìngqī), fixed-term.

The words

Verb (12)

理财(lǐcái)to manage one’s moneyVerb4

年轻(niánqīng)人(rén)应该(yīnggāi)早(zǎo)点儿(diǎnr)学会(xuéhuì)理财(lǐcái)。Young people should learn to manage their money early.

节省(jiéshěng)to save; to economise onVerb4

为了(wèile)节省(jiéshěng)时间(shíjiān)，我们(wǒmen)打车(dǎchē)去(qù)吧(ba)。Let’s take a taxi to save time.

Of money, time or effort; 省钱(shěngqián) is the everyday “save money”.

报销(bàoxiāo)to claim back (expenses)Verb4

出差(chūchāi)的(de)车票(chēpiào)可以(kěyǐ)报销(bàoxiāo)，别(bié)忘(wàng)了(le)留好(liúhǎo)。You can claim back tickets for business trips, so don’t forget to keep them.

欠债(qiànzhài)to be in debt; to owe moneyVerb4

他(tā)生意(shēngyi)失败(shībài)以后(yǐhòu)一直(yìzhí)欠债(qiànzhài)，用(yòng)了(le)五(wǔ)年(nián)才(cái)还清(huánqīng)。After his business failed he was in debt, and it took him five years to pay it all back.

Separable: 欠(qiàn)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)债(zhài), to run up large debts.

纳税(nàshuì)to pay taxesVerb4

每(měi)个(ge)有(yǒu)收入(shōurù)的(de)人(rén)都(dōu)有(yǒu)纳税(nàshuì)的(de)义务(yìwù)。Everyone with an income has a duty to pay tax.

Formal; in speech 交(jiāo)税(shuì).

炒股(chǎogǔ)to trade in sharesVerb4

他(tā)下班(xiàbān)以后(yǐhòu)喜欢(xǐhuan)在(zài)手机(shǒujī)上(shàng)炒股(chǎogǔ)。After work he likes to trade shares on his phone.

Colloquial: literally “to stir-fry shares”.

涨(zhǎng)to rise (of prices or water)Verb4

最近(zuìjìn)菜价(càijià)又(yòu)涨(zhǎng)了(le)。Vegetable prices have gone up again recently.

跌(diē)to fall (of prices); to tumbleVerb4

这(zhè)几(jǐ)天(tiān)金价(jīnjià)一直(yìzhí)在(zài)跌(diē)。The gold price has been falling for the past few days.

Also of people: 跌倒(diēdǎo), to fall over.

赔钱(péiqián)to lose money (on a deal); to pay compensationVerb4

这(zhè)笔(bǐ)生意(shēngyi)不但(búdàn)没(méi)赚(zhuàn)，还(hái)赔钱(péiqián)了(le)。Not only did this deal make nothing — it lost money.

算账(suànzhàng)to do the accounts; to settle upVerb4

店(diàn)关门(guānmén)以后(yǐhòu)，老板(lǎobǎn)坐(zuò)下来(xialai)算账(suànzhàng)。After the shop closed, the owner sat down to do the accounts.

Figuratively also “to get even with someone”.

继承(jìchéng)to inheritVerb4

他(tā)继承(jìchéng)了(le)爷爷(yéye)留(liú)下来(xialai)的(de)房子(fángzi)。He inherited the house his grandfather left.

投保(tóubǎo)to take out insuranceVerb4

买(mǎi)了(le)新(xīn)车(chē)，要(yào)马上(mǎshàng)投保(tóubǎo)。Once you buy a new car, you need to insure it straight away.

This list belongs to Shopping, clothes and money — seven lists and 282 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.