money

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is せん, and the kun reading is ぜに. It has 14 strokes. It appears in words for money and coins.
• Basic usage: 銭 is read ぜに, and 小銭 is read こぜに.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 銭 / 小銭
  • 銭 means money or coin and is read ぜに. It refers to money or coins, including in historical settings.
  • 時代劇の旅人は宿代の銭を袋から出した。 means “The traveler in the period drama took the lodging money out of their bag.”
  • 小銭 means coins or small change and is read こぜに. It refers to coins or small change used in places such as vending machines.
  • 自動販売機に入れる小銭を探した。 means “I looked for coins to put in the vending machine.”