How to Write 银 (yín) — Meaning “Silver”

Imagine a silver coin (the left radical 钅) that is "根" (root, pronounced gēn) but with a different right side. The right part 艮 looks like a silver ingot with two corners, helping you link it to the word for silver.

Write the left radical 钅 first, with its three horizontal strokes and a vertical hook. The right part 艮 has a narrow top and a wider bottom; be careful not to make the top too large. A common mistake is writing the left radical too wide, so keep it slim and balanced.

银 means silver, while 钙 (gài) means calcium and 钚 (bù) means plutonium. Visually, 银 has the right component 艮 (gèn), 钙 has 丐 (gài) on the right, and 钚 has 不 (bù) — each right side is different. All three share the metal radical 钅, so focus on the right side to distinguish them.

银 appears in common words like 银行 (yínháng, bank) and 银色 (yínsè, silver color). Culturally, silver is less valuable than gold but still considered precious; a silver medal (银牌) is the second-place award in competitions.

Common words containing 银 include: 银行 (yín háng) — Bank; 银色 (yín sè) — Silver color; 银牌 (yín pái) — Silver medal.