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There are always debates about whether parents should give their children pocket money, at what age should children be given pocket money, and how much to give. While pocket money gives children the chance to buy things which make them happy, parents are more concerned that their children should learn money management.

 

The word " pocket " comes from the Old French word " poke " , meaning " pouch " or " sack " . Several centuries ago, it was used as a measure of quantity in agriculture, for example, a pocket of wool. Before pockets began to be sewn into men's clothes in the 17th century in Europe, people used various kinds of pouches to keep their valuables. They hid a pouch under their clothes or fastened it around their waist.

 

When the expression " pocket money " first appeared in the 17th century, it meant a small amount of money carried in the pocket for minor expenses, not especially for children.

 

Eventually, it came to mean an amount of money that parents regularly give to their children to spend on their own. This British expression is called "allowance " in the USA.

 

人們經常爭論:父母應否給子女零用錢(pocket money)?兒童應該在甚麼年齡獲得零用錢?父母應該給多少零用錢?雖然零用錢讓兒童有機會買到令自己開心的東西,但是父母更關注的是,子女應當學習金錢管理

 

英語「pocket」一字來自古法語poke,意即小袋或袋。數世紀前,它被用作農業的數量單位,例如一袋羊毛。在17世紀歐洲男士衣服縫上口袋之前,人們用各種各樣的小袋來存放貴重物品。他們把小袋藏在自己的衣服下面或扣緊在自己的腰部上。

 

當「pocket money」這個詞語首次在17世紀出現的時候,它的意思是放在隨身攜帶的小袋裡的小量金錢,用作小額開支,並非特別為兒童。

 

漸漸地,pocket money開始解作父母定期給子女的金錢,讓他們自行決定如何花錢。這個英式英語在美國被稱為「allowance」。