Also tiaou. [Chinese.] A string of Chinese ‘cash’ (perforated copper coins).
Nominally the tiao contains 1000 cash; but the actual number of coins varies from 1000 downwards, according to the custom of the locality.
1883. S. W. Williams, Middle Kingd. (enlarged ed.), II. xvi. 86 (Banks and Paper Money). Their [the notes’] face value ranges from one to a hundred tiao, or strings of cash, but their worth depends on the exchange between silver and cash.
1886. Rep. of Sec. Treas. (U.S.) 390 (Cent. Dict.). Twenty miles from Peking the big cash are no longer in circulation. Small cash are used, [a nominal] 1000 [at Tientsin, really 500] of which make a tiao, and 3000 to 3500 of which are equal to a tael of silver.
1908. Morse, Trade Chinese Emp., v. 130. Cash are strung on strings, in rolls of 100, of which 10 go to the string or tiao, or ch‘uan, formerly called kuan.
1910. Blackw. Mag., Dec., 763/2. I paid a tiaou for this; but I don’t begrudge the money.
