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賬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhàngaccounts, bills; credit, debtzg, 15 strokes, radical 貝, Very Hard
zhàng(zhang4) T4
  1. 1accounts, bills; credit, debt
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

zhàng(zhang4)

The character 賬 (zhàng) refers to accounts or bills and is often used in contexts involving financial transactions, credit, and debt. It conveys the idea of a record of money owed or received, and is commonly used in business and personal finance settings.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, managing finances and keeping accurate accounts is crucial, especially during festivals like the Chinese New Year, when settling debts is considered a way to start fresh.

Memory Tip

Think of 賬 (zhàng) as a 'bill' that needs to be 'counted' (the radical 貝, which means money) which looks like a treasure chest. Visualize opening that chest to check your accounts, reminding you of the pronunciation 'zhàng' as you 'count' your treasures.

Meanings of 賬

zhàng(zhang4)
1accounts, bills; credit, debt
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 賬

Simplified
15Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 賬

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 賬

Quick Contrast

账 (zhàng) is a simplified form of 賬 (zhàng) and is used interchangeably in modern contexts, but 賬 may appear more in traditional texts.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 賬 (zhàng) as a 'bill' that needs to be 'counted' (the radical 貝, which means money) which looks like a treasure chest. Visualize opening that chest to check your accounts, reminding you of the pronunciation 'zhàng' as you 'count' your treasures.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 賬 with 账, which is a simplified form often used in Mainland China. This word is generally used in formal contexts, so ensure that your usage fits the situation, especially when discussing finances or accounts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 賬 is not in the HSK curriculum, it connects with vocabulary at HSK 4 and 5 related to finance and business. Focus on recognizing its use in contexts discussing money management and transactions.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, managing finances and keeping accurate accounts is crucial, especially during festivals like the Chinese New Year, when settling debts is considered a way to start fresh.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 賬 in informal contexts when discussing their personal finances. For example, saying '我今天收到了一个賬' (I received a bill today) may be too formal; instead, use '我今天收到了一个账单' (I received a bill today).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 賬

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Etymology of 賬

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 长 represents the sound. Simplified form of 賬.

Memory Hint

money

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 賬?

Decomposition of 賬

IDS Structure⿰貝長
Full Character
=
bei4
left
zhang3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 賬?

Write 賬

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 賬

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, managing finances and keeping accurate accounts is crucial, especially during festivals like the Chinese New Year, when settling debts is considered a way to start fresh.

Word Family of 賬

Words Containing This Character20
账户zhànghùbank account賬戶
zhàngbill
账单zhàngdānbill賬單
账号zhànghàoaccount賬號
混账shameful混賬
付账to settle an account付賬
账本account book賬本
结账jiézhàngto pay the bill結賬
转账to transfer (money to a bank account)轉賬
账目an entry賬目
账面an entry賬面
记账bookkeeping記賬
进账income進賬
应收账款accounts receivable應收賬款
买账to buy it買賬
旧账old debt舊賬
赖账to renege on a debt賴賬
欠账debt欠賬
账簿a ledger賬簿
赊账outstanding account賒賬
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 账户 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 賬

It is pronounced as 'zhàng' with a falling tone.