zhégān

折干

Word · VerbTraditional折乾

give money instead of physical gifts

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

1 sense · 3 examples
1.

verb

to give money instead of physical gifts; to substitute cash for presents

formal

Commonly used in the context of Chinese gift-giving etiquette, where cash ('dry gift' 干礼) is preferred over physical items ('wet gift' 湿礼 such as food or alcohol). The variant 折干儿 with erhua is also common in northern dialects.

Zán咱
men们
bù不
rú如
zhé折
gān干
 ,
shěng省
de得
mǎi买
dōng东
xi西
má麻
fan烦
 。

We might as well give cash to save the trouble of buying things.

Xiàn现
zài在
rén人
qíng情
wǎng往
lái来
 ,
hěn很
duō多
rén人
dōu都
xuǎn选
zé择
zhé折
gān干
r儿
 。

Nowadays, for social obligations, many people choose to give money instead of gifts.

Show 1 more example
Rú如
jīn今
jié结
hūn婚
 ,
dà大
jiā家
dōu都
xí习
guàn惯
zhé折
gān干
 ,
zhí直
jiē接
sòng送
hóng红
bāo包
 。

These days for weddings, everyone is used to giving cash, simply handing out red envelopes.