ngaang6 bai6硬幣硬币
Jyutpingngaang6 bai6
Yalengaahng baih
Definition
Coin; a small, usually round piece of metal used as legal tender, as opposed to paper money.
neutralmoney
How it's used
While 硬幣 is the formal term used in writing or banking, locals almost exclusively use 錢幣 or the more common colloquial term 銀仔 in daily speech. Using 硬幣 in casual conversation can sound slightly stiff or like you are reading from a textbook. It is most frequently encountered in formal signage or when discussing currency denominations.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Do you still have any coins in your wallet?
This machine only accepts coins, not banknotes.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 紙幣, which refers to banknotes. Also, learners often try to use 錢 as a generic term for coins, but 錢 is usually reserved for money in general or banknotes, whereas specific metal currency is distinguished by the term 銀仔.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
