付钱
fù qián · HSK 3
to pay
💴 付 (hand over) + 钱 (money) = pay money
付 shows 人 (person) handing something with 寸 (hand/inch), meaning to deliver or hand over. 钱 is money (金 metal radical). Together: hand over money = pay.
付 — person radical 亻 + hand 寸
付 originally pictured a hand (寸) reaching out to hand something to a person (亻), depicting the act of giving or delivering. The core sense 'to hand over, deliver, pay' has remained stable since ancient bronze inscriptions. It also serves as a phonetic component in characters like 附, 符, and 府.
钱 — metal radical 钅 + 戋 (small/shallow)
Originally a name for a spade-shaped bronze tool used as early currency in ancient China. The metal radical 钅 gives the meaning (metal coin), while 戋 supplies the sound and hints at 'small, thin pieces.' Over time the meaning shifted from the spade-coin itself to money in general.