挤兑 (jǐ duì) — a bank run; (of depositors) to withdraw money en masse from a bank; to experience a bank run (of a bank)

Definition

A specialized finance term for a 'bank run' — depositors rushing to withdraw money at once. 挤 is 'to crowd, push' and 兑 is 'to exchange/cash in', so the word literally pictures throngs cashing out.

verb
a bank run(of depositors) to withdraw money en masse from a bankto experience a bank run (of a bank)

Examples

  • ，挤兑。
    Yóu yú jīng yíng bú shàn, zhè jiā yín háng miàn lín zhe yán zhòng de jǐ duì fēng xiǎn.
    Due to poor management, this bank faces a serious risk of a bank run.
  • ，挤兑。
    Jīng jì wēi jī qī jiān, duō jiā yín háng dōu bèi jǐ duì le.
    During the economic crisis, many banks experienced runs.
  • 挤兑，。
    Yáo yán dǎo zhì chǔ hù fēn fēn qián qù jǐ duì, yín háng bù dé bù jǐn jí yìng duì.
    Rumors caused depositors to rush in for a run, and the bank had to respond urgently.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

挤jǐcrowd
兑duìredeem

挤 conveys crowding, while 兑 conveys redeeming or cashing out.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擠; 挤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí擠jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擠 pairs 扌 (hand) with 齊, a sound part; the simplified 挤 is a later shorthand.

Open 挤 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 兌; 兑 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 兌 combines 人, 口, and 八, showing a person's mouth with marks above, read as speech or as a smiling mouth. The simplified 兑 is not the form described here.

Open 兑 →

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