銀行

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 銀行はどこですか。▶ —
   Where is the bank?
2. 銀行でお金をおろします。▶ —
   I withdraw money at the bank.

Collocations

Mnemonic

ぎんこう — 銀行, Sino-Japanese. Unpack the two kanji ── 銀 (silver) + 行 (shop, conduct) = 'a shop that deals in silver'. Why 銀 (silver), not 金 (gold) ── when 19th-century East Asia translated 'bank', the reference currency of trade settlement was silver. A century of monetary history sits inside one word. This translation too was coined in Meiji Japan and spread to Korea and China ── Korean eunhaeng, Chinese 银行, all the same characters. A cluster of Japanese finance vocabulary ── 窓口 madoguchi (teller window), 通帳 tsuuchou (passbook), 振込 furikomi (bank transfer). In Japan even rent and utilities go by 銀行振込 ── transfer takes priority over credit cards. The Korean readings eun / haeng are sister to the onyomi ぎん / こう.

Quick check

1. What Japanese financial practice does 銀行振込 refer to?

   • Bank transfer payment, prioritized over cash or card
   • Credit card payment
   • Cash withdrawal
   • Stock trading