银行 from HSK Level 2 Vocabulary List

The Chinese word 银行 (yínháng) for "bank" is composed of two characters: 银 (yín), meaning "silver", and 行 (háng), meaning "row" or "line". The term "银行" originally referred to a place where silver was stored and exchanged, and later evolved to mean a financial institution that provides various banking services.The character 银 (yín) has a long history in Chinese culture, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). It was originally used to refer to a type of white metal, which was later identified as silver. The character 行 (háng) has multiple meanings, including "row", "line", "rank", and "business". In the context of 银行, it refers to a place where financial transactions are conducted.The combination of 银 and 行 in 银行 (yínháng) reflects the historical role of banks as places where silver was stored and exchanged. Over time, the meaning of 银行 expanded to encompass a wider range of financial services, including deposits, loans, and currency exchange. Today, 银行 is the standard Chinese term for "bank", and it is used in a variety of contexts, from personal banking to international finance.