Bank & Banking in Chinese 银行
yínháng
Bank in Chinese is 银行 (yín háng).
Also searched for as: bank, bank account, ATM.
Where do you keep your money? 15 essential at the bank words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Bank in Chinese is 银行 (yín háng), and this vocabulary gets you through the most common errands: opening an account, 开户 (kāi hù), taking out cash, 取钱 (qǔ qián), and changing money, 换钱 (huàn qián). In many Chinese banks you take a number first, 排号 (pái hào), and wait to be called to a 柜台 (guì tái), counter, so knowing these words makes a visit far less stressful.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 银行 | yín háng | bank |
| 开户 | kāi hù | to open an account |
| 账户 | zhàng hù | account |
| 存钱 | cún qián | to deposit money; to save |
| 取钱 | qǔ qián | to withdraw money |
| 取款机 | qǔ kuǎn jī | cash machine |
| 转账 | zhuǎn zhàng | to transfer money |
| 汇率 | huì lǜ | exchange rate |
| 换钱 | huàn qián | to change money |
| 人民币 | rén mín bì | renminbi (RMB) |
| 英镑 | Yīng bàng | pound sterling |
| 利息 | lì xī | interest |
| 密码 | mì mǎ | PIN; password |
| 排号 | pái hào | to take a number |
| 柜台 | guì tái | counter |
Usage tips
- You'll see 取款 (qǔ kuǎn) and 存款 (cún kuǎn) on cash machine screens and forms; they're the formal versions of 取钱 and 存钱, and a cash machine is 取款机 (qǔ kuǎn jī) or simply ATM, said as letters.
- 存钱 (cún qián) means both depositing money and saving up: 我在存钱买车 (wǒ zài cún qián mǎi chē), I'm saving up for a car.
- In speech, amounts of renminbi are counted in 块 (kuài) rather than the written 元 (yuán), so a cashier will say 五百块 (wǔ bǎi kuài) for ¥500; to ask the rate, say 一英镑换多少人民币？ (yī Yīng bàng huàn duō shao rén mín bì?).
Common mistakes
- Reading 银行 as yín xíng → here 行 is háng, as in 行业 (háng yè), industry; xíng is the 行 of 不行 (bù xíng).
- Saying 借钱 (jiè qián) when you mean withdrawing money: 借钱 is borrowing or lending → taking money out of your account is 取钱 (qǔ qián).
- Saying 汇率 as huì lù → it's huì lǜ, with the ü sound.
Mini dialogue
- A你好，我想换钱。Nǐ hǎo, wǒ xiǎng huàn qián.Hello, I'd like to change some money.
- B好的，请先在门口排号。Hǎo de, qǐng xiān zài mén kǒu pái hào.Of course, please take a number at the door first.
- A今天一英镑换多少人民币？Jīn tiān yī Yīng bàng huàn duō shao rén mín bì?How many renminbi to the pound today?
- B那边的屏幕上有今天的汇率。Nà biān de píng mù shang yǒu jīn tiān de huì lǜ.Today's exchange rate is on the screen over there.
- A好的，谢谢。附近有取款机吗？Hǎo de, xiè xie. Fù jìn yǒu qǔ kuǎn jī ma?Great, thanks. Is there a cash machine nearby?
- B有，出门往右走就是。Yǒu, chū mén wǎng yòu zǒu jiù shì.Yes, just go out of the door and turn right.
Example sentences
- 我去银行办事。I'm going to the bank to sort something out.
- 我想在这家银行开户。I'd like to open an account at this bank.
- 你的账户里有多少钱？How much is in your account?
- 我每个月存一点儿钱。I save a bit of money every month.
- 我去取钱。I'm going to get some cash out.
- 附近有取款机吗？Is there a cash machine nearby?
- 我给你转账。I'll transfer it to you.
- 今天的汇率是多少？What's today's exchange rate?
- 在机场换钱很贵。Changing money at the airport is expensive.
- 我要换人民币。I'd like to change some renminbi.
- 一英镑换多少人民币？How many renminbi to a pound?
- 银行的利息很低。Bank interest rates are low.
- 请输入密码。Please enter your PIN.
- 先在门口排号。Take a number at the door first.
- 请到三号柜台。Please go to counter three.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The At the bank speaking island has 8 everyday questions about at the bank to prepare your own answers to.