yínháng: 银行 - Bank

• Keywords: yinhang, 银行, bank, Chinese bank, banking in China, how to say bank in Chinese, open bank account China, Chinese for bank, finance in China, ATM in China
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for “bank,” 银行 (yínháng). This guide covers its meaning, character origins, and cultural significance in modern China's rapidly evolving financial landscape. Discover how to use 银行 (yínháng) in practical sentences for everyday tasks like withdrawing money, opening an account, and understanding its connection to digital payment giants like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yínháng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: A financial institution that accepts deposits and channels them into lending activities; a bank.
• In a Nutshell: 银行 (yínháng) is the standard, everyday word for “bank” in Mandarin Chinese. It refers to the physical building, the institution itself, and the general concept of banking. If you need to do anything with physical money or formal financial services in China, you'll be dealing with a 银行.

• 银 (yín): This character means “silver.” Historically, silver (along with gold) was a primary form of currency and a measure of wealth in China. So, its connection to money and finance is very direct.
• 行 (háng): This is a crucial character with two common pronunciations. When pronounced háng, it means “a line of business,” “a firm,” or “a trade” (e.g., 行业 - hángyè, industry). When pronounced xíng, it means “to walk” or “to go.” In 银行, it's always háng, referring to a business establishment.
• Together, 银行 (yínháng) literally translates to “silver business” or “silver firm,” a perfectly logical and historical name for an institution that deals with money.

While the concept of a bank is universal, its role in modern China has unique characteristics. Traditionally, China's banking sector has been dominated by massive, state-owned institutions, often referred to as the “Big Four”:

• Bank of China (中国银行)
• China Construction Bank (中国建设银行)
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (中国工商银行)
• Agricultural Bank of China (中国农业银行)

The most significant cultural difference for a Westerner is the leapfrogging of credit cards. While cards exist, daily life in China is overwhelmingly dominated by mobile payment systems like 支付宝 (Alipay) and 微信支付 (WeChat Pay). These apps are directly linked to a user's 银行 (yínháng) account. Therefore, while trips to a physical bank are less frequent for daily transactions, having a Chinese 银行 (yínháng) account is the essential gateway to participating in the modern digital economy. For foreigners, opening an account is one of the first and most crucial steps to living conveniently in China. This contrasts with Western countries where credit/debit cards still form the primary backbone of cashless transactions, and mobile tap-to-pay is an alternative rather than the default. In China, scanning a QR code linked to your 银行 (yínháng) account is the norm for everything from buying street food to paying rent.

银行 (yínháng) is a neutral, all-purpose term used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Daily Errands: You use the word when you need to perform services that can't be done on your phone, such as opening an account (开户 - kāi hù), dealing with a lost card, or making a large international transfer.
• Location: You'll ask “银行在哪儿?” (Where is the bank?) when looking for a branch or an ATM, which is often attached.
• Digital Life: While you may not go to the bank building, your digital wallet is constantly interacting with your 银行. You might say “My WeChat is linked to my Bank of China account.” (我的微信绑定了我的中国银行账户).

The term itself doesn't carry a strong positive or negative connotation; it's a functional noun.

• Example 1:
  • 我要去银行取钱。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yào qù yínháng qǔ qián.
  • English: I need to go to the bank to withdraw money.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence. 取钱 (qǔ qián), “to withdraw money,” is a key verb to know when talking about a 银行.
• Example 2:
  • 请问，附近有银行吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, fùjìn yǒu yínháng ma?
  • English: Excuse me, is there a bank nearby?
  • Analysis: The perfect phrase for asking for directions. 附近 (fùjìn) means “nearby.”
• Example 3:
  • 你想在哪家银行开户？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiǎng zài nǎ jiā yínháng kāi hù?
  • English: Which bank do you want to open an account at?
  • Analysis: 家 (jiā) is the measure word for businesses, including banks. 开户 (kāi hù) means “to open an account.”
• Example 4:
  • 这家银行的服务很好。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā yínháng de fúwù hěn hǎo.
  • English: This bank's service is very good.
  • Analysis: Shows how to use 银行 as the subject of a sentence to comment on its quality.
• Example 5:
  • 我的银行卡丢了，得去银行挂失。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de yínhángkǎ diū le, děi qù yínháng guàshī.
  • English: I lost my bank card, I have to go to the bank to report the loss.
  • Analysis: A useful, real-life problem scenario. 挂失 (guàshī) is the specific term for reporting a card or document as lost.
• Example 6:
  • 你需要把钱存入你的银行账户。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào bǎ qián cúnrù nǐ de yínháng zhànghù.
  • English: You need to deposit the money into your bank account.
  • Analysis: Introduces two related key terms: 存 (cún) “to deposit” and 账户 (zhànghù) “account.”
• Example 7:
  • 手机银行比网上银行更方便。
  • Pinyin: Shǒujī yínháng bǐ wǎngshàng yínháng gèng fāngbiàn.
  • English: Mobile banking is more convenient than online banking.
  • Analysis: Shows how 银行 can be part of compound nouns to describe different types of banking services.
• Example 8:
  • 中国工商银行是中国最大的银行之一。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó Gōngshāng Yínháng shì Zhōngguó zuì dà de yínháng zhīyī.
  • English: The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is one of China's largest banks.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how 银行 is part of the official names of banking institutions.
• Example 9:
  • 这笔钱是通过银行转账的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bǐ qián shì tōngguò yínháng zhuǎnzhàng de.
  • English: This sum of money was transferred via the bank.
  • Analysis: 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng), “to transfer money,” is another essential banking verb.
• Example 10:
  • 每个银行的汇率都有一点儿不同。
  • Pinyin: Měi ge yínháng de huìlǜ dōu yǒu yīdiǎnr bùtóng.
  • English: Each bank's exchange rate is a little different.
  • Analysis: A practical sentence for travelers or expats dealing with foreign currency. 汇率 (huìlǜ) means “exchange rate.”

• The Pronunciation of 行 (háng): The most common mistake for learners is pronouncing 行 as xíng (to walk). In the context of a business or firm, it is always háng. Pronouncing it yínxíng is incorrect and will likely cause confusion. Remember: 银 (yín) + 行 (háng) = 银行 (yínháng).
• Bank vs. Banking Actions: 银行 (yínháng) is the place or institution. You don't “bank” your money. You go to the 银行 (yínháng) to do specific actions like 存钱 (cún qián) - deposit money, or 取钱 (qǔ qián) - withdraw money.
  • Incorrect: 我要去银行钱 (Wǒ yào qù yínháng qián.) - “I'm going to bank money.” (Nonsensical)
  • Correct: 我要去银行存钱 (Wǒ yào qù yínháng cún qián.) - “I'm going to the bank to deposit money.”
• Bank vs. ATM: While an ATM is usually found at a bank, it has its own name: 自动取款机 (zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī), which is often shortened in conversation to ATM (pronounced as in English). If you just need cash, you would look for an ATM, not necessarily a full-service 银行.

• 取钱 (qǔ qián) - To withdraw money. An action you do at a 银行 or ATM.
• 存钱 (cún qián) - To deposit money. The opposite of 取钱.
• 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ) - Bank card. This is a general term that can mean debit card.
• 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ) - Credit card. A specific type of 银行卡.
• 账户 (zhànghù) - Account. You open a zhànghù at a yínháng.
• 自动取款机 (zìdòng qǔkuǎnjī) - ATM (Automated Teller Machine). Literally “automatic money-withdrawing machine.”
• 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng) - To transfer funds. A key function of any 银行 service.
• 网上银行 (wǎngshàng yínháng) - Online banking. Banking services accessed via a website.
• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay. A major mobile payment platform that must be linked to a 银行 account.
• 微信支付 (Wēixìn Zhīfù) - WeChat Pay. The other major mobile payment platform, also linked to a 银行 account.