支行 (zhī háng) — (place word) sub-branch (of a bank, shop, or company)

Definition

支行 is a sub-branch — a local office of a larger bank or company, smaller than the main 总部 or 总行. Used for both banks and other businesses with branches.

noun
(place word) sub-branch (of a bank, shop, or company)

Examples

  • 支行。
    Wǒ zài zhè jiā yín háng de zhī háng bàn le yì zhāng xìn yòng kǎ.
    I got a credit card at this bank's sub-branch.
  • 支行。
    Wǒ men gōng sī de zhī háng jiù zài duì miàn nà tiáo jiē shàng.
    Our company's sub-branch is just across the street.
  • 支行。
    Tā zài zhè jiā yín háng de zhī háng gōng zuò le wǔ nián.
    He worked at this bank's sub-branch for five years.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

支zhībranch
行xíngbank

支 gives the sense of a subordinate branch, and 行 gives the sense of a bank, so together they name a bank branch.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

支 pairs 又 (hand) with 十, a shortened form of 竹 (bamboo), to picture a bamboo branch.

Open 支 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.