zhànghù: 账户 - Account

• Keywords: zhanghu, 账户, Chinese for account, bank account in China, online account, social media account, WeChat account, Alipay account, register an account, 银行账户, 账号, HSK 4 Chinese vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 账户 (zhànghù), which means “account.” This page breaks down how to use 账户 for everything from opening a bank account (银行账户) to logging into your WeChat or Alipay account. Discover its cultural significance in China's digital-first society, understand the crucial difference between 账户 (zhànghù) and 账号 (zhànghào), and master its use with practical example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhànghù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: An account, such as a bank account, an online service account, or a social media profile.
• In a Nutshell: 账户 (zhànghù) is the universal word for any “account” you have with a service. Think of your bank account, your email account, your Taobao account, or your Douyin (TikTok) account—they are all different types of 账户. It's a fundamental vocabulary word for navigating daily life, technology, and finance in modern China.

• 账 (zhàng): This character is about finance and record-keeping. The radical on the left, 贝 (bèi), means “shell,” which was used as currency in ancient China. The right side, 长 (zhǎng/cháng), provides the sound and means “long.” Together, they suggest a “long record of money” or a ledger.
• 户 (hù): This character is a pictogram of a single-panel door. It represents a “household,” a “family,” or a single designated unit.
• When combined, 账户 (zhànghù) literally means a “financial record household” or a “ledger for a specific unit.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of an “account”—a designated place that holds your records, whether financial or digital.

In the West, an “account” is a simple utility. In China, the concept of 账户 (zhànghù) is deeply integrated into the fabric of social and economic life, largely due to the digital revolution. The biggest cultural distinction is the prevalence of the “super-app” account, like WeChat (微信) or Alipay (支付宝). A single 账户 is not just for messaging or payments; it's your portal to booking tickets, ordering food, paying utility bills, accessing government services, and more. Your digital 账户 is arguably more essential than your physical wallet. Furthermore, there's a strong emphasis on 实名认证 (shímíng rènzhèng), or “real-name verification.” To open almost any significant 账户 in China (especially for banking or payments), you must link it to your official government ID. This contrasts with the greater degree of anonymity often possible in the West. This system is designed to enhance security and accountability, making your 账户 a trusted, verified extension of your personal identity.

账户 (zhànghù) is a neutral, standard term used in both formal and informal contexts.

• Banking and Finance: This is the most common and formal usage. You'll hear it constantly at a bank when opening, closing, or managing your money.
  • e.g., `银行账户 (yínháng zhànghù)` - bank account
  • e.g., `储蓄账户 (chúxù zhànghù)` - savings account
• Online and Digital Life: This is where you'll use it every day. Any service that requires a login has an 账户.
  • e.g., `微信账户 (Wēixìn zhànghù)` - WeChat account
  • e.g., `淘宝账户 (Táobǎo zhànghù)` - Taobao account
  • e.g., `电子邮箱账户 (diànzǐ yóuxiāng zhànghù)` - email account
• Business: In a business context, it refers to company accounts.
  • e.g., `公司账户 (gōngsī zhànghù)` - company account

• Example 1:
  • 我想开一个新的银行账户。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng kāi yī gè xīn de yínháng zhànghù.
  • English: I want to open a new bank account.
  • Analysis: A classic, standard phrase you would use at any bank in China. `开 (kāi)` means “to open.”
• Example 2:
  • 我忘了我的账户密码。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wàng le wǒ de zhànghù mìmǎ.
  • English: I forgot my account password.
  • Analysis: A very common problem! This sentence works for any type of account, from email to social media. `密码 (mìmǎ)` means “password.”
• Example 3:
  • 请用您的手机号登录账户。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng yòng nín de shǒujī hào dēnglù zhànghù.
  • English: Please use your phone number to log into your account.
  • Analysis: This shows how accounts are often tied to phone numbers in China. `登录 (dēnglù)` means “to log in.”
• Example 4:
  • 我的账户里没有钱了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de zhànghù lǐ méiyǒu qián le.
  • English: There's no money left in my account.
  • Analysis: A simple and direct sentence for talking about your account balance. `里 (lǐ)` means “inside.”
• Example 5:
  • 你能把钱转到我的账户吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bǎ qián zhuǎn dào wǒ de zhànghù ma?
  • English: Can you transfer the money to my account?
  • Analysis: `转账 (zhuǎnzhàng)` is the verb for transferring money, often shortened to `转 (zhuǎn)` in this structure.
• Example 6:
  • 出于安全原因，您的账户被暂时冻结了。
  • Pinyin: Chūyú ānquán yuányīn, nín de zhànghù bèi zànshí dòngjié le.
  • English: For security reasons, your account has been temporarily frozen.
  • Analysis: This is a formal sentence you might see in an official notification. `冻结 (dòngjié)` means “to freeze.”
• Example 7:
  • 每个用户只能注册一个账户。
  • Pinyin: Měi gè yònghù zhǐ néng zhùcè yī gè zhànghù.
  • English: Each user can only register one account.
  • Analysis: This phrase is common in the terms and conditions for websites and apps. `注册 (zhùcè)` means “to register.”
• Example 8:
  • 这是我们公司的对公账户。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen gōngsī de duìgōng zhànghù.
  • English: This is our company's corporate account.
  • Analysis: `对公 (duìgōng)` is a specific banking term meaning “corporate” or “for business,” as opposed to a personal account.
• Example 9:
  • 你需要定期检查你的账户安全。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xūyào dìngqī jiǎnchá nǐ de zhànghù ānquán.
  • English: You need to check your account security regularly.
  • Analysis: A practical piece of advice. `安全 (ānquán)` means “security” or “safety.”
• Example 10:
  • 我把我的两个账户关联起来了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ wǒ de liǎng gè zhànghù guānlián qǐlái le.
  • English: I linked my two accounts together.
  • Analysis: `关联 (guānlián)` means “to associate” or “to link,” a common function for managing multiple services.

• “Account” vs. “Story”: A major pitfall for English speakers. In English, “account” can mean a report or story (e.g., “give me an account of what happened”). 账户 (zhànghù) NEVER means this. For a story or description, you would use words like `描述 (miáoshù)` or `说明 (shuōmíng)`.
  • Incorrect: `他给了我一个事件的账户。` (Tā gěile wǒ yí gè shìjiàn de zhànghù.)
  • Correct: `他向我描述了事件的经过。` (Tā xiàng wǒ miáoshùle shìjiàn de jīngguò.)
• 账户 (zhànghù) vs. 账号 (zhànghào): This is the most important distinction to master. They are not interchangeable.
  • 账户 (zhànghù): The entire account, the conceptual entity that holds your money, data, or profile. It's the “house.”
  • 账号 (zhànghào): The specific username, ID number, or email address you use to log in. It's the “key” or “address” to the house.
  • Example: “My bank account (账户) is with ICBC. My account number (账号) is 622202…”
  • Example: “My WeChat account (账户) has many friends. My WeChat ID (账号) is 'my_wechat_id'.”

• 账号 (zhànghào) - The account number or username used to log in. More specific than 账户.
• 密码 (mìmǎ) - Password; the secret code to access your 账户.
• 登录 (dēnglù) - To log in; the action of accessing your 账户.
• 注册 (zhùcè) - To register; the action of creating a new 账户.
• 用户 (yònghù) - User; the person who owns the 账户.
• 银行 (yínháng) - Bank; the institution where you hold a financial 账户.
• 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng) - To transfer money; a key function performed between 账户.
• 余额 (yú'é) - Balance; the amount of money in your 账户.
• 支付宝 (Zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay; a major digital payment platform where you have a crucial 账户.
• 微信 (Wēixìn) - WeChat; a “super-app” where your 账户 is central to social life and payments.