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A2 verb #3,500 most common 3 min read

存钱

cún qián Top 3,500

When you hear 存钱 (cúnqián), it directly means 'to save money' or 'to deposit money'. Think of it as putting money aside, whether into a bank account or simply setting it aside for future use. It's a very common and practical phrase you'll use often. For example, if you want to say you are saving money for a trip, you would use 存钱.

Practice it Examples

§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives

When you're talking about money, especially in the context of saving or putting it into a bank, 存钱 (cún qián) is your go-to word. It literally means 'to store money'. It's very direct and widely understood.

DEFINITION: To deposit money.

我每个月都会存钱，为了买房子。(Wǒ měi gè yuè dū huì cún qián, wèile mǎi fángzi.)

Translation hint: I deposit money every month to buy a house.

Now, let's look at some alternatives and when you might use them instead:

省钱 (shěng qián) - To save money (by spending less)
While both 存钱 and 省钱 relate to money, their meanings are distinct. 省钱 focuses on the act of economizing or reducing expenditure. You might 省钱 by not buying expensive coffee or walking instead of taking a taxi.
DEFINITION
To save money (by being thrifty).
他每天带午饭，为了省钱。(Tā měi tiān dài wǔfàn, wèile shěng qián.)
Translation hint: He brings lunch every day to save money.
💡
Use 省钱 when you're talking about cutting costs, not necessarily putting money in a bank.
储蓄 (chǔxù) - Savings (noun), To save (verb, more formal)
储蓄 can be used as a verb meaning 'to save', similar to 存钱, but it's often more formal and can also refer to the accumulated savings (noun). You might see this in financial contexts or on bank statements. While 存钱 is about the action of depositing, 储蓄 can also refer to the result of that action.
DEFINITION
Savings (noun); to save (verb, formal).
他所有的储蓄都在银行里。(Tā suǒyǒu de chǔxù dōu zài yínháng lǐ.)
Translation hint: All his savings are in the bank.
我们应该从小培养储蓄的好习惯。(Wǒmen yīnggāi cóng xiǎo péiyǎng chǔxù de hǎo xíguàn.)
Translation hint: We should cultivate a good habit of saving from a young age.
💡
Use 储蓄 when you want to sound a bit more formal, or if you're referring to the money saved itself. For the simple act of putting money in a bank, 存钱 is often more common in everyday conversation.
存款 (cúnkuǎn) - Deposit (noun), To deposit (verb, less common)
存款 is most commonly used as a noun meaning 'deposit' (the money deposited). While it can be used as a verb, 存钱 is much more frequent for the action of depositing money. Think of 存款 as the money itself that has been put into a bank.
DEFINITION
Deposit (noun).
我的银行存款不多。(Wǒ de yínháng cúnkuǎn bù duō.)
Translation hint: My bank deposit is not much.
💡
Focus on 存款 as the 'deposit' itself. For the action of making a deposit, 存钱 is generally preferred.

In summary, for the everyday action of putting money into a bank, use 存钱. If you're talking about reducing spending, use 省钱. For formal contexts or to refer to the accumulated money, 储蓄 is a good choice. And if you're talking about the actual money that has been deposited, 存款 is the noun you'll want.

Examples by Level

我每个月都会存钱，以备不时之需。

I save money every month for a rainy day.

他正在努力存钱买一辆新车。

He is working hard to save money for a new car.

为了支付孩子的教育费，他们决定开始存钱。

To pay for their children's education, they decided to start saving money.

我建议你把一部分工资存起来。

I suggest you save a portion of your salary.

她一直有存钱的好习惯，所以现在才有能力出国旅行。

She has always had a good habit of saving money, which is why she can now afford to travel abroad.

父母从小就教育我们要懂得存钱的重要性。

From a young age, our parents taught us the importance of saving money.

这家银行提供高利率的储蓄账户，鼓励人们存钱。

This bank offers high-interest savings accounts to encourage people to save money.

如果你想早点退休，现在就开始存钱吧。

If you want to retire early, start saving money now.

Test Yourself 24 questions

multiple choice A2

Which word means 'to deposit money'?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 存钱 (cún qián)

存钱 (cún qián) specifically means to deposit or save money. The other options mean to spend money, earn money, and borrow money, respectively.

multiple choice A2

Choose the correct sentence: I want to deposit money.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 我想存钱。

我想存钱 (wǒ xiǎng cún qián) correctly translates to 'I want to deposit money.'

multiple choice A2

She deposits money every week. (她每个星期___钱。)

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 存

存 (cún) is the verb from 存钱 (cún qián) meaning 'to deposit' or 'to save'.

true false A2

The phrase '存钱' means 'to spend money'.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

No, '存钱' means 'to deposit money' or 'to save money', not 'to spend money'. '花钱' means 'to spend money'.

true false A2

If you want to save money for a new phone, you would use '存钱'.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: True

Yes, '存钱' is the correct term to use when talking about saving or depositing money, for example, for a new phone.

true false A2

You can use '存钱' to describe borrowing money from a friend.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: False

No, '存钱' means to deposit or save money. To borrow money, you would use '借钱' (jiè qián).

listening A2

The speaker talks about saving money every month.

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 我每个月都会存钱。