银

The Chinese character 银 (yín) for "silver" is composed of two parts: the radical 金 (jīn) for "metal" on the left, and the phonetic component 音 (yīn) on the right. The radical 金 indicates that 银 is related to metal, while the phonetic component 音 provides a clue to its pronunciation.The character 银 first appeared in oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing, dating back to the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC). In oracle bone script, 银 was written as a pictograph of a silver ingot. Over time, the character evolved and simplified into its current form.The character 银 has several meanings in Chinese. It can refer to the element silver, as well as to silver coins or bullion. It can also be used figuratively to refer to something that is valuable or precious. For example, the phrase 一诺千金 (yīnuòqiānjīn) literally means "one promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold," and is used to express the importance of keeping one's word.The character 银 is also used in many Chinese idioms and proverbs. For example, the idiom 守株待兔 (shǒuzhūdàitù) literally means "guarding a tree stump waiting for a rabbit," and is used to describe someone who is waiting for something to happen without taking any action.The character 银 is a common character in Chinese, and it is used in a wide variety of contexts. Its rich history and multiple meanings make it an interesting character to study for HSK learners.