银

• Pinyin: yín
• Hanzi breakdown: 银 = 钅(金) (metal) + 艮 (gen, phonetic component)

Meaning

Silver. Refers to the precious metal or its colour, also used in words related to money and banking.

As a standalone word, 银 means the metal silver. It appears in many compound words related to finance (银行 = bank) and precious metals (银牌 = silver medal). Historically, silver was used as currency in China.

Examples

1. 这条项链是纯银做的。 This necklace is made of pure silver.
2. 她喜欢银色的首饰。 She likes silver-coloured jewellery.
3. 古代中国人用银子买东西。 Ancient Chinese people used silver to buy things.

Usage Guide

Context: shopping, jewellery, history

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这个戒指是银的。(This ring is made of silver.)
• 银的价格比金便宜。(Silver is cheaper than gold.)

Don't Say

• 我要去银取钱。(Don't use 银 alone when talking about banks — say 银行 (yínháng) for 'bank')

Origin & History

金 (metal radical) + 艮 (gen, phonetic component). The metal radical indicates it refers to a type of metal.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal