Historically, like in any society, carrying 零钱 (língqián) was essential for daily life in China. It was needed for everything from buying breakfast from a street vendor to paying for public transportation. Having the exact amount was a small but common courtesy to vendors. The most significant cultural shift is the term's migration into the digital world. In the West, a “digital wallet” is a broad concept, but in China, 零钱 (Língqián) is the *specific name* for the balance feature within WeChat Pay (微信支付). When someone sends you money or you receive a digital red envelope (红包 hóngbāo), the funds land in your 零钱 balance. This contrasts sharply with the Western concept of “small change,” which is often viewed as a minor inconvenience (heavy coins cluttering a wallet). In China, digital 零钱 is the lifeblood of daily micro-transactions. It's a highly convenient and central feature of social and economic life, representing the country's leap into a near-cashless society. The cultural value has shifted from the physical convenience of having small bills to the digital convenience of an instantly accessible balance.
While you might still use physical 零钱 in rural areas or with older vendors, its primary use case for anyone living in or visiting a Chinese city is digital.