信用

The Chinese word 信用 (xìnyòng) is composed of two characters: 信 (xìn), meaning "trust" or "faith," and 用 (yòng), meaning "use" or "employ." Together, these characters convey the idea of "using trust" or "employing faith." In ancient China, 信用 was used to describe the relationship between two people who had a mutual understanding and trust. Over time, the meaning of 信用 expanded to include the concept of credit, as in the sense of "trusting someone to repay a debt." Today, 信用 is commonly used in the context of finance and economics, where it refers to the ability of an individual or organization to repay debts or fulfill obligations. In a broader sense, 信用 can also refer to one's reputation or trustworthiness.