薪
xīn
(literary) firewood; fuel
(bound form) salary
plants (艹) + new/freshly cut (新) = firewood, fuel, salary
Freshly cut wood was the standard fuel for fire and cooking — so 新 (new, freshly cut) reinforces the plant radical's reference to bundled plant material. Over time, the word extended to mean salary, since workers were once paid in firewood or its equivalent.
他每个月的薪水够养活一家人。
tā měi gè yuè de xīn shuǐ gòu yǎng huó yī jiā rén。
His monthly salary is enough to support a family.
公司今年给所有员工加了薪。
gōng sī jīn nián gěi suǒ yǒu yuán gōng jiā le xīn。
The company gave all employees a salary raise this year.
Words with 薪
卧薪尝胆
wò xīn cháng dǎn
lit. to sleep on brushwood and taste gall (like King Goujian of Yue 勾踐|勾践[Gou1 jian4], in order to recall one's humiliations) (idiom)
周薪
zhōu xīn
weekly salary
釜底抽薪
fǔ dǐ chōu xīn
to take drastic measures to deal with a situation
高薪
gāo xīn
high salary
高薪厚禄
gāo xīn hòu lù
high salary, generous remuneration
高薪聘请
gāo xīn pìn qǐng
to hire at a high salary
高薪酬
gāo xīn chóu
high salary
高薪养廉
gāo xīn yǎng lián
policy of high pay to discourage corruption
停薪留职
tíng xīn liú zhí
leave of absence without pay
加薪
jiā xīn
to raise salary
厝火积薪
cuò huǒ jī xīn
lit. to put a fire under a pile of firewood (idiom)
工薪族
gōng xīn zú
salaried class