how to say “currency” in Hebrew

 

מַטְבֵּעַ

 

 
The Hebrew root ט.ב.ע (t.b.a) means sinking and is the root of such diverse words as טֶבַע  listen and repeat nature, מַטְבֵּעַ  listen and repeat coin or currency, and to sinkלִטְבּוֹעַ  listen and repeat (not to be confused with to sueלִתְבּוֹעַ  listen and repeat with a ת).
 
What is the connection between all of these?
 
An image is imprinted on a coin by pressing on hot metal so that parts of the metal sink down. Likewise, the laws of nature are set down, imprinted on the world we live in.
 
And a currency is the going rate of a nation’s coin or basic note.
 
For example:
 
אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לִפְתּוֹחַ חֶשְׁבּוֹן מט”ח – מַטְבֵּעַ חוּץ.
I (a male) want to open a foreign currency account.

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