Li qian, Lì qián, Lí qián: 4 definitions

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

利錢 [lì qián] [li qian]—
1.利息 [li xi] (lìxī), interest. In Water Margin (水滸傳 [shui hu chuan]), Chapter 38: "Just take ten taels of silver (銀子 [yin zi]); do you still want interest?" In Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢 [hong lou meng]), Chapter 39: "His official allowance, when lent out for interest, doesn't even amount to a thousand taels of silver (銀子 [yin zi]) a year!"
2.利潤 [li run] (lìrùn), profit. For example: "This line of business has high profits. If you want to get a share of his profits (插他乾股 [cha ta gan gu]), it's probably harder than climbing to heaven!" In The Scholars (儒林外史 [ru lin wai shi]), Chapter 52: "In three months, you can get back three hundred taels. Isn't this profit even greater than that from making silk (絲 [si])?"

lì qián:1. lì xī. < shuǐ hǔ chuán> dì sān bā huí: “zhǐ yòng shí liǎng yín zi qù qǔ, zài yào lì qián me?” < hóng lóu mèng> dì sān jiǔ huí: “tā de gōng fèi yuè lì, fàng chū qù lì qián, yī nián bù dào shàng qiān de yín zi ne! ”
2. lì rùn. rú: “zhè xíng dāng lì qián gāo, nǐ yào xiǎng chā tā gān gǔ, zhǐ pà bǐ dēng tiān hái nán! ” < rú lín wài shǐ> dì wǔ èr huí: “sān gè yuè jiù ná huí sān bǎi liǎng, zhè bù bǐ zuò sī de lì qián hái dà xiē?”

li qian:1. li xi. < shui hu chuan> di san ba hui: "zhi yong shi liang yin zi qu qu, zai yao li qian me?" < hong lou meng> di san jiu hui: "ta de gong fei yue li, fang chu qu li qian, yi nian bu dao shang qian de yin zi ne! "
2. li run. ru: "zhe xing dang li qian gao, ni yao xiang cha ta gan gu, zhi pa bi deng tian hai nan! " < ru lin wai shi> di wu er hui: "san ge yue jiu na hui san bai liang, zhe bu bi zuo si de li qian hai da xie?"