挣钱 (zhèngqián) is a compound verb meaning 'to earn money' — literally 'to struggle/strive (挣) + money (钱)'. The character 挣 carries the sense of effort, exertion, or overcoming difficulty, suggesting that earning money often involves hard work or persistence. This word emphasizes the active process of acquiring income through labor, services, or business — not passive sources like inheritance or gifts.

It's commonly used in everyday speech and writing to talk about jobs, side hustles, financial goals, or economic survival. You'll hear it in contexts like career discussions ('I need to find a job to earn money'), family conversations ('My parents work hard to earn money for our education'), or personal aspirations ('She started freelancing to earn more money'). Unlike the more formal 赚钱 (zhuànqián), which focuses on profit-making or gaining financial advantage, 挣钱 highlights the effort-to-income relationship and carries a neutral-to-positive connotation of diligence and responsibility.