1.
money; coin; cash
An informal, somewhat old-fashioned or rough word for money or coins. Has a blunt, down-to-earth feel compared to the neutral okane (money).
銭がない。
I have no money.
銭を稼ぐのは大変だ。
Making money is hard work.
あの男は銭のことしか頭にないから、信用できない。
That man only thinks about money, so you can't trust him.
An old-fashioned, blunt word for money. In modern Japanese, お金 is the standard neutral term, while 銭 has a rougher, more colloquial tone. It can sound gruff, masculine, or old-fashioned.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 銭を稼ぐ (to earn money)
- 銭勘定 (counting money; being stingy)
- 銭もうけ (making money; moneymaking)
- びた一文の銭も (not a single cent)
Also appears as a unit of currency (銭 = 1/100 of a yen), though this reading is distinct. The reading ぜに is specifically the colloquial word for money/coins. Common in period dramas, proverbs, and expressions with a traditional flavor.