金银 (jīn yín) — gold and silver | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

gold and silver

金银。
Zhè xiē jīn yín shǒu shì fēi cháng piào liang.
These gold and silver jewelry pieces are very beautiful.
金银。
Gǔ dài rén yòng jīn yín zuò wéi huò bì.
Ancient people used gold and silver as currency.
金银。
Tā shōu cáng le xǔ duō jīn yín zhū bǎo.
He collected a lot of gold, silver, and jewels.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

金 (gold) and 银 (silver) stand together for gold and silver.

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

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 銀; 银 is its simplified writing.

金艮銀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

艮

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 銀 has 金, meaning metal, and 艮, used for the sound; the simplified 银 is a shorthand.

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