Chinese word

私房钱

Pronunciation

Pinyinsī fáng qián

Meaning

  • nounsecret savings

Example

我把私房钱放在钱包里，不告诉别人。wǒ bǎ sī fáng qián fàng zài qián bāo lǐ bú gào sù bié rén

I put my secret savings in my wallet and don't tell anyone.

Illustration for 私房钱 (secret savings)

More examples

他因经济困难不得不动用私房钱。tā yīn jīng jì kùn nán bù dé bú dòng yòng sī fáng qián

Due to financial difficulties, he had to draw on his secret savings.

Core concept

A small personal reserve kept out of shared view for spending on one's own needs.

Common phrases

  • 攒私房钱zǎn sī fáng qián

    build up secret savings

  • 隐瞒私房钱yǐn mán sī fáng qián

    hide secret savings

  • 动用私房钱dòng yòng sī fáng qián

    draw on secret savings

Similar words

存款cún kuǎn: Money deposited in a bank as savings.
积蓄jī xù: Money gradually saved to prepare for living costs or the future.

Definition in Chinese

不公开保管、由个人自由支配的小额积蓄或现金，常用于临时开支或想保留给自己用的用途。bù gōng kāi báo guǎn yóu gè rén zì yóu zhī pèi de xiǎo é jī xù huò xiàn jīn cháng yòng yú lín shí kāi zhī huò xiǎng bǎo liú gěi zì jǐ yòng de yòng tú

Word origin

私 (sī, "private") + 房 (fáng, "room") + 钱 (qián, "money") suggests a personal reserve kept in a place outside shared view.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, this word can describe an ordinary private cash reserve and does not by itself suggest illegal money or serious deception.

Other meanings

  • hidden moneynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 私房菜sī fáng càihome-style dishesnoun
  • 私房账sī fáng zhàngprivate ledgernoun

Word lists with this word