おつり

おつり · otsuri · JLPT N4 · noun

change

🪙 o (polite) + tsuri, from tsuriau = to balance: the amount that evens the deal

お is the polite prefix; つり comes from 釣り合う (tsuriau), to be in balance. The change handed back is what balances your payment against the price. Same つり as in 釣り (fishing), so a sound hook also works: the cashier fishes out your coins.

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