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March 24, 2026
账(賬)zhàng(zhang4)
The character 账 (zhàng) primarily refers to an account or a bill, often related to financial contexts such as debts or credits. It's commonly used in banking, bookkeeping, and everyday transactions where financial records are involved.
Strokes8Radical贝Frequency#8505DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, managing accounts and debts is highly regarded, and the practice of keeping accurate financial records dates back to ancient times. The concept of being in debt or having outstanding bills is often associated with personal responsibility and social standing.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large ledger (the form of 账) where you write down all your bills and accounts. The left side features the radical '贝' (shell), which relates to money, reminding you that this character deals with financial matters.
Meanings of 账
zhàng(zhang4)
1account
2bill
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 账
账Simplified
賬Traditional
8Strokes
贝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8505Frequency Rank
本Measure Word
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1
Podcast: 账
Podcast: 账
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AI Study Notes for 账
Quick Contrast
账 (zhàng) vs 账户 (zhànghù) — use 账 for general accounts or bills, while 账户 specifically refers to a bank account.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a large ledger (the form of 账) where you write down all your bills and accounts. The left side features the radical '贝' (shell), which relates to money, reminding you that this character deals with financial matters.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the pronunciation, as mispronouncing the fourth tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding characters. 账 is often used in compound words, such as 账单 (zhàng dān) for 'bill' or 账户 (zhàng hù) for 'account'.
HSK Study Tips
Although 账 is not included in the official HSK levels, it is useful for learners around HSK 3-4 as it connects with common financial vocabulary. Focus on using it in context with phrases like 'pay the bill' and 'check the account'.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, managing accounts and debts is highly regarded, and the practice of keeping accurate financial records dates back to ancient times. The concept of being in debt or having outstanding bills is often associated with personal responsibility and social standing.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 账 with 常 (cháng), leading to sentences like '我需要常我的账' instead of the correct '我需要查我的账'. Make sure to use 查 (chá) for 'check' when referring to accounts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 账
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Grammar Patterns of 账
账 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Companies could not draw money from bank accounts as cash.
Cultural Notes for 账
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, managing accounts and debts is highly regarded, and the practice of keeping accurate financial records dates back to ancient times. The concept of being in debt or having outstanding bills is often associated with personal responsibility and social standing.
Word Family of 账
Words Containing This Character20
账户zhànghùbank account賬戶
账zhàngbill賬
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 账
In daily life, 账 commonly refers to bills and accounts, such as when discussing payment for services or tracking expenses.
While 账 can be used in formal settings, it is also prevalent in informal conversations, especially regarding money and expenses.
You can say '我需要查看我的账' (Wǒ xūyào chákàn wǒ de zhàng) meaning 'I need to check my account.'
