贝币 Bei Bi/ shell currency
贝币起源于原始社会，最早使用可追溯至夏晚期，商周时代更为普遍。它以海贝为主要材料，因其小巧、色彩鲜艳、坚固耐用而成为原始居民喜爱的装饰品，后逐渐成为商品交换的一般等价物。
Shell currency originated in primitive society, with the earliest use traceable to the late Xia Dynasty, and became more common during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It mainly used sea shells as materials and became a popular medium of exchange due to their small size, bright colors, portability, and durability.
布币 Bu Bi
布币源于农具铲，形状似铲，又称铲布。实际上，布币之形，从青铜农具镈演变而来。“布”与“镈”，古音通假。布币的流通最终被秦始皇统一的“半两”钱所取代，退出了流通领域。
The Bu Bi originated from the agricultural tool spade, resembling a spade, and is also called a spade Bu. In fact, the shape of the cloth coin evolved from the bronze agricultural tool called “Bo”. “Bu” and “Bo” are ancient homophones. The circulation of cloth coins was eventually replaced by the unified “Ban Liang” coins of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, and they withdrew from the circulation field.
刀币 Knife money
刀币最早由燕国铸造，外形似刀，规格比实际的刀小且薄，没有开刃，不具备实用功能。刀币的形状来源于日常生活的刀具，是由生产工具的“刀”演变而成的。秦始皇统一中国后，统一币制，废除了刀币。
The knife money was first minted by the State of Yan, resembling a knife in shape, but smaller and thinner than an actual knife, without an edge, and not practical for use. The shape of the knife money originated from everyday knives and evolved from the “knife” as a production tool. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China, he standardized the currency system and abolished the knife money.
圜钱
“圜钱”简称“环钱”，是中国战国时期铸行的一类圆形有孔的铜质货币，由最初的圆形圆孔演化为后来的圆形方孔，与古人“天圆地方“的宇宙观相符。
The “Huan Qian” (also known as “round money”) is a type of copper currency with a round shape and a hole in the center that was cast during the Warring States period. It evolved from an initial round hole to a later square hole, which corresponds with the ancient Chinese cosmological view of “round heaven and square earth.”