Chinese · Travel & Places
银行
yínháng
Bank
Beginnernoun
Definition
A place where people keep and borrow money.
Example
银行十点开门。
The bank opens at ten.
Etymology
'银行' (yínháng) combines '银' (yín) meaning 'silver', historically representing money, and '行' (háng) meaning 'business or industry'. Its use can be traced back to the Song Dynasty when formal banking appeared in China.
How & Where It’s Used
'银行' is widely used in formal contexts, particularly in written Chinese, and applies to various types of financial institutions. It is universal across China.