qǔ qián: 取钱 - To Withdraw Money

• Keywords: 取钱, qǔ qián, withdraw money in Chinese, get cash in China, ATM in Chinese, Chinese for bank, 取款 (qǔ kuǎn), 提款 (tí kuǎn), 银行 (yínháng), how to take out money in China
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese phrase 取钱 (qǔ qián), which means “to withdraw money.” This comprehensive guide will teach you how to use this term at a bank or ATM in China, making it easy to get cash when you need it. We'll break down the characters, explore the cultural shift to a cashless society, and provide dozens of practical examples, helping you navigate financial transactions like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qǔ qián
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Phrase (functions as a single verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To withdraw money from a bank account, typically via an ATM or a bank teller.
• In a Nutshell: 取钱 (qǔ qián) is the most common, everyday term for getting cash out of your account. It's a neutral, direct, and functional phrase that you'll hear and use frequently. Think of it as the standard way to say “I'm going to take out some money.”

• 取 (qǔ): To take; to get; to fetch. The character is a combination of an ear (耳) and a hand (又). In ancient warfare, a soldier might take an enemy's ear as a trophy or proof of victory. This vivid image of “taking” something with your hand has been preserved in the character's meaning.
• 钱 (qián): Money; cash. This character is composed of the “metal” radical (钅) on the left, indicating its connection to coins and currency, and a phonetic component (戋) on the right.

When combined, 取钱 (qǔ qián) literally means “to take money,” a straightforward and logical construction for the act of withdrawing cash.

While withdrawing money is a universal activity, the context of 取钱 (qǔ qián) in modern China is unique due to the country's rapid and widespread adoption of mobile payments. In the West, the shift to a cashless society has been gradual. In China, particularly in urban areas, the transition has been meteoric. Platforms like 支付宝 (Alipay) and 微信支付 (WeChat Pay) dominate daily transactions, from buying street food to paying rent. Consequently, the physical act of 取钱 has become far less frequent for many locals than it was just a decade ago. For a Westerner visiting China, this can be a surprising cultural difference. You might find that many vendors, especially small ones, prefer mobile payments and may not have much change for large bills. However, the need to 取钱 still exists, especially for travelers, for use in more rural areas, for certain government services, or simply as a backup. Therefore, knowing how to 取钱 is a crucial survival skill, even in a hyper-modern, increasingly cashless China. It represents the bridge between the traditional cash-based economy and the new digital one.

取钱 (qǔ qián) is the default, neutral term used in most daily conversations.

• At the ATM: You'll use this term when looking for or using an ATM, which is called a 自动取款机 (zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī), often shortened to 取款机 (qǔkuǎnjī). You might see the more formal verb 取款 (qǔ kuǎn) on the machine's screen.
• At the Bank Counter: When speaking with a teller at a 银行 (yínháng), you can simply say “我想取钱 (Wǒ xiǎng qǔ qián)” - “I'd like to withdraw money.”
• Formality:
  • 取钱 (qǔ qián): Neutral, spoken, most common.
  • 取款 (qǔ kuǎn): Slightly more formal, common in writing and on official signage (like on an ATM).
  • 提款 (tí kuǎn): Another formal variant, more common in Taiwan and Hong Kong but also understood in Mainland China.

The phrase is almost always used in a neutral, transactional context.

• Example 1:
  • 我要去银行取钱。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yào qù yínháng qǔ qián.
  • English: I need to go to the bank to withdraw money.
  • Analysis: A simple statement of intent. This is one of the most common ways you'll use the phrase.
• Example 2:
  • 请问，附近有可以取钱的地方吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, fùjìn yǒu kěyǐ qǔ qián de dìfang ma?
  • English: Excuse me, is there a place nearby where I can withdraw money?
  • Analysis: A very useful question for any traveler. `请问 (qǐngwèn)` makes it polite.
• Example 3:
  • 我昨天取了五百块钱。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān qǔle wǔbǎi kuài qián.
  • English: I withdrew 500 yuan yesterday.
  • Analysis: This shows that 取钱 is a “separable verb.” The amount of money (五百块) is placed between 取 and 钱. This is a very common grammatical structure.
• Example 4:
  • 这个自动取款机取钱要收手续费。
  • Pinyin: Zhège zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī qǔ qián yào shōu shǒuxùfèi.
  • English: This ATM charges a service fee for withdrawing money.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence about ATM fees (`手续费 - shǒuxùfèi`).
• Example 5:
  • 你取了多少钱？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ qǔle duōshǎo qián?
  • English: How much money did you withdraw?
  • Analysis: Another example of the separable verb structure, used here in a question.
• Example 6:
  • 我的钱包空了，得去取钱了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de qiánbāo kōng le, děi qù qǔ qián le.
  • English: My wallet is empty, I have to go withdraw money.
  • Analysis: `得 (děi)` expresses necessity or obligation, making the need to `取钱` more urgent.
• Example 7:
  • 用这张卡取钱很方便。
  • Pinyin: Yòng zhè zhāng kǎ qǔ qián hěn fāngbiàn.
  • English: It's very convenient to withdraw money using this card.
  • Analysis: Shows how to specify the tool used for the action, in this case, a card (`卡 - kǎ`).
• Example 8:
  • 他忘了银行卡密码，所以取不了钱。
  • Pinyin: Tā wàngle yínhángkǎ mìmǎ, suǒyǐ qǔ bu liǎo qián.
  • English: He forgot his bank card's PIN, so he can't withdraw money.
  • Analysis: The structure `V + 不了 (bu liǎo)` indicates the inability to perform an action. Here, `取不了钱` means “unable to withdraw money.”
• Example 9:
  • 去农村以前，你最好先取点现金。
  • Pinyin: Qù nóngcūn yǐqián, nǐ zuìhǎo xiān qǔ diǎn xiànjīn.
  • English: Before going to the countryside, you'd better withdraw some cash first.
  • Analysis: Here, `钱` is replaced by the more specific term `现金 (xiànjīn - cash)`. The structure `取 + [amount/type] + 钱/现金` is flexible.
• Example 10:
  • 你帮我取一下钱，好吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bāng wǒ qǔ yíxià qián, hǎo ma?
  • English: Can you withdraw some money for me, please?
  • Analysis: `一下 (yíxià)` is added after the verb to soften the tone of the request, making it sound more casual and polite.

• Mistake 1: Confusing `取钱 (qǔ qián)` and `换钱 (huàn qián)`
  • This is the most critical mistake for travelers.
  • 取钱 (qǔ qián): To withdraw your own money (e.g., RMB from your RMB account).
  • 换钱 (huàn qián): To exchange currencies (e.g., USD for RMB).
  • Incorrect: `我想在银行取美元。` (Wǒ xiǎng zài yínháng qǔ Měiyuán.) This sounds like you want to withdraw USD from your account.
  • Correct: `我想在银行把美元换成人民币。` (Wǒ xiǎng zài yínháng bǎ Měiyuán huànchéng Rénmínbì.) - “I want to exchange USD for RMB at the bank.”
• Mistake 2: Using `拿钱 (ná qián)` incorrectly
  • `拿钱 (ná qián)` means “to take/get money,” but it's very general. It usually implies receiving money from a person or taking it from a surface, not from a financial institution.
  • Example: `老板给我拿钱了。` (Lǎobǎn gěi wǒ ná qián le.) - The boss paid me. (Correct usage of `拿钱`).
  • Example: `我从桌子上拿了钱。` (Wǒ cóng zhuōzi shàng nále qián.) - I took the money from the table. (Correct usage of `拿钱`).
  • Incorrect for ATM: `我要去ATM拿钱。` While people might understand you, the standard and correct term is 取钱. Using `拿钱` sounds unnatural in this context.
• Grammar: Remember Separability
  • As shown in the examples, you often split 取 and 钱 to insert more information, like the amount or an aspect particle like `了 (le)` or `过 (guò)`.
  • Correct: 我取了一点钱。(Wǒ qǔle yīdiǎn qián.) - I withdrew a little money.
  • Incorrect: 我取钱了一点。(Wǒ qǔ qián le yīdiǎn.) - This is grammatically wrong.

• 存钱 (cún qián) - The direct antonym: to deposit or save money.
• 取款机 (qǔkuǎnjī) - ATM. The full name is 自动取款机 (zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī).
• 银行 (yínháng) - Bank. The primary place to `取钱` or `存钱`.
• 现金 (xiànjīn) - Cash, physical currency. This is the product of `取钱`.
• 换钱 (huàn qián) - To exchange currency. A related but fundamentally different banking action.
• 密码 (mìmǎ) - Password or PIN. You need this to `取钱` from an ATM.
• 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ) - Bank card / Debit card. The tool you use to `取钱`.
• 手续费 (shǒuxùfèi) - Service fee / transaction fee. Sometimes charged when you `取钱`, especially with foreign cards.
• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay. One of the two major mobile payment systems in China, which reduces the need to `取钱`.
• 微信支付 (Wēixìn Zhīfù) - WeChat Pay. The other dominant mobile payment system in China.