HanziGuru.銀 · yín
銀
yín[yin2]Tone 2

silver

HSK 2
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银
Guru Deep Dive

English · silver

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:11
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (钅, metal) should be compressed slightly to make space for the right phonetic component (艮), ensuring the entire character maintains a balanced vertical rectangular silhouette.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 銀 uses the full character 金 (metal) on the left, which was simplified to the standard radical 钅 in modern Chinese.
1. Meaning

silver

silver-coloredrelating to money or currency
Noun / AdjectiveNeutral#materials#metals#colors#finance
Sample Usage
  • 这块表是银制的。
    Zhè kuài biǎo shì yín zhì de.
    This watch is made of silver.
  • 她戴着一副银耳环。
    Tā dài zhe yī fù yín ěrhuán.
    ఆమె wears a pair of silver earrings.
2. Sound
/[in³⁵]/Tone: 35
銀
yínyin2
++
´(35)
=yín
Initial Consonant
y
Type: Palatal Glide (Zero Initial)
Sounds like: y/i semi-vowel sound
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Acts as a bridge into 'i' or 'ü' vowel sounds.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Front of the tongue raises toward the hard palate as a glide into the vowel.
Final Rhyme
in
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: -in rhymes with pin
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'een'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 starts at mid pitch and rises sharply to high, identical to a questioning English voice tone.
Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 2 syllable, it undergoes normal Tone 2 sandhi rules, shifting slightly in pitch modulation.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse it with 'yīn' (yin1, tone 1 flat pitch), make sure the pitch rises distinctly from middle to high.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 2 (rising 35) corresponds to the upward inflection of asking a question in English, like saying 'Huh?' or 'Really?'. Move your hand from mid-chest upward into the air.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 11 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (钅, metal) should be compressed slightly to make space for the right phonetic component (艮), ensuring the entire character maintains a balanced vertical rectangular silhouette.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 銀 uses the full character 金 (metal) on the left, which was simplified to the standard radical 钅 in modern Chinese.

4. Components

Radical 钅 · Metal Radical (Metal, minerals, or cutting tools)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 钅 (Indicates that silver is a type of precious metal.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 艮 (original sound: gèn / yín)

The metal radical (钅) combines with the phonetic component 'stopping/firm' (艮) to form the character for 'silver', a precious metal that holds its solid, unchanging value.

  • 钅 Metal category
  • 艮 Phonetic clue and sense of solidity
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally formed by combining the pictograph for metal/gold with a phonetic component indicating its sound and stable physical property.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred specifically to the metal silver, later extended to describe silver colors, and historically linked to silver coins and currency systems.

  • Silver was historically used extensively as currency in ancient China, measured in silver ingots called 'sycee' or 'liang'.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ギン / Kun: しろがね
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
은
Sound Shift Bridge: The modern Mandarin 'yín' corresponds to Japanese 'gin' and Korean 'eun'.
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine digging up a chunk of METAL (钅) that glimmers so brightly it makes you STOP (艮) in your tracks. That gleaming treasure is pure SILVER (yín).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
很
hěnveryAdd the step/walking radical (彳) to metal (钅) to get very (很).
根
gēnrootAdd the tree/wood radical (木) to get root (根).
跟
gēnto followAdd the foot radical (足) to get to follow (跟).
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
很(hěn)
很 uses the double-person/walking radical (彳) on the left meaning 'very', whereas 银 uses the metal radical (钅) meaning 'silver'.
根(gēn)
根 uses the wood radical (木) for plant roots, while 银 uses metal (钅) for silver.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
這枚硬幣是用[___]做的。
Clue: yín
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the right-hand phonetic component with similar components in '很' or '根' and accidentally writing the wrong radical on the left.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does '银' mean and how is it pronounced with tones?
Production: How do you write the character for 'silver' using the metal radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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