银行 yínháng bank
How to remember 银行: 银 silver + 行 go = bank.
Characters
How it is used
- A bank (the financial institution) - 去银行 (qù yínháng) go to the bank, 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ) bank card.
- Trap: 行 is read háng here, NOT xíng (to walk/go). The 行 meaning "a line/business firm" gives háng, as in 银行 and 行业 (hángyè, industry).
- 银 (silver) reflects the old silver-based money; the building/branch is measure-worded with 家 (yī jiā yínháng).
Example sentences
- 银行在哪里？ Yínháng zài nǎlǐ?Where is the bank?
- 这是一家银行。 Zhè shì yī jiā yínháng.This is a bank.
- 我要去银行了。 Wǒyào qù yínháng le.I'm going to the bank.