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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.
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'.
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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Phonosemantic compound. 贝 represents the meaning and 长 represents the sound. Simplified form of 賬.
1The meaning half贝 carries the sense.
2The sound half长 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymoney
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 账? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 账?
Decomposition of 账
IDS Structure⿰贝长
账Full Character
=
贝Bei4
left
长chang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 账?
How to say account in Chinese
“account” in Chinese is账zhàng
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.
When to use 账
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'.
账 or something close to it
账 (zhàng) vs 账户 (zhànghù) — use 账 for general accounts or bills, while 账户 specifically refers to a bank account.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 账
账
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Practice writing 账 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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 4 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.
