zhuǎnzhàng: 转账 - To Transfer Money, Bank Transfer

• Keywords: zhuanzhang, 转账, transfer money Chinese, bank transfer in China, wire transfer China, Alipay transfer, WeChat Pay transfer, how to transfer money in Chinese, Chinese banking terms, paying friends in China, digital payments China.
• Summary: An essential term for modern life in China, 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng) means “to transfer money” or “a bank transfer.” This word is the key to navigating China's digital economy, whether you're paying rent, splitting a dinner bill with friends via WeChat Pay or Alipay, or conducting a formal business transaction. Understanding 转账 is fundamental to handling money in a country where electronic payments are king.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhuǎnzhàng
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To transfer funds from one account to another; a wire or bank transfer.
• In a Nutshell: 转账 is the action of sending money electronically. Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of saying “I'll Venmo you,” “I'll wire the money,” or “I'll make a bank transfer.” It's a highly practical and common verb-noun that describes the direct movement of money between accounts, forming the backbone of daily financial interactions in China.

• 转 (zhuǎn): This character means “to turn,” “to shift,” or “to transfer.” Imagine physically turning and handing something from one person to another.
• 账 (zhàng): This character means “account” or “bill.” The radical on the left, 贝 (bèi), originally depicted a cowrie shell, which was used as an ancient form of currency. Thus, 账 is intrinsically linked to money and finance.
• The characters combine literally to mean “transfer an account,” which perfectly captures the modern meaning of moving funds from one financial account to another.

In modern China, 转账 isn't just a banking term; it's a cultural phenomenon. China has rapidly evolved into a near-cashless society, leapfrogging the era of credit cards that is so prevalent in the West. The ecosystem is dominated by two “super-apps”: Alipay (支付宝) and WeChat Pay (微信支付). The Western concept of “I'll pay you back later” is often instantly resolved in China with a quick 转账. Friends splitting a dinner bill (known as “AA制” or AA zhì) will immediately transfer their share to the person who paid. This is done by scanning a QR code or simply tapping a button within a WeChat chat. The transaction is instantaneous and seamless. This contrasts with the more fragmented system in the West, where one might use Venmo for friends, Zelle for bank transfers, and a separate banking app for formal wires. In China, 转账 is the universal action, and the context (e.g., being in a WeChat conversation) implies the platform. This has made financial interactions incredibly efficient but also highly integrated into social media, blurring the lines between social and financial life in a way that is unique to modern China. Sending a digital red envelope (红包 hóngbāo) for a birthday is, at its core, a specialized and festive form of 转账.

转账 is used in countless daily situations, from the most informal to the most formal.

• Informal & Social: This is the most common usage.
  • Paying a friend back for coffee: “我给你转账。” (Wǒ gěi nǐ zhuǎnzhàng.) - “I'll transfer the money to you.”
  • Paying a small vendor at a market who displays their personal QR code.
  • Paying rent to a landlord by transferring directly to their bank or WeChat account.
• Formal & Business:
  • Companies paying employees' salaries.
  • Making a down payment for a large purchase.
  • Formal wire transfers between businesses, often referred to as 对公转账 (duìgōng zhuǎnzhàng) - “corporate transfer.”

The word itself is neutral. The formality is determined entirely by the context, the amount of money, and the relationship between the two parties.

• Example 1:
  • 我需要给我房东转账。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào gěi wǒ fángdōng zhuǎnzhàng.
  • English: I need to transfer money to my landlord.
  • Analysis: A very common and practical sentence. 给 (gěi) means “to give” or “to,” indicating the recipient of the transfer.
• Example 2:
  • 你用微信还是支付宝给我转账？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yòng Wēixìn háishì Zhīfùbǎo gěi wǒ zhuǎnzhàng?
  • English: Will you use WeChat or Alipay to transfer the money to me?
  • Analysis: This highlights the two main platforms for digital payments in China. 用 (yòng) means “to use.”
• Example 3:
  • 这顿饭我先付，你们一会儿给我转账就行。
  • Pinyin: Zhè dùn fàn wǒ xiān fù, nǐmen yīhuìr gěi wǒ zhuǎnzhàng jiù xíng.
  • English: I'll pay for this meal first, you guys can just transfer me the money in a bit.
  • Analysis: A classic example of how “AA” culture works in China. 就行 (jiù xíng) means “and that will be fine,” a very common and casual phrase.
• Example 4:
  • 你的转账已经成功了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de zhuǎnzhàng yǐjīng chénggōng le.
  • English: Your transfer has been successful.
  • Analysis: Here, 转账 is used as a noun. You would see this message on a banking or payment app.
• Example 5:
  • 对不起，转账失败了，请再试一次。
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, zhuǎnzhàng shībài le, qǐng zài shì yí cì.
  • English: Sorry, the transfer failed, please try again.
  • Analysis: Another example of 转账 as a noun, showing what happens when a transaction goes wrong.
• Example 6:
  • 大额转账可能需要24小时才能到账。
  • Pinyin: Dà'é zhuǎnzhàng kěnéng xūyào èrshísì xiǎoshí cáinéng dào zhàng.
  • English: Large-amount transfers might take 24 hours to arrive in the account.
  • Analysis: 大额 (dà'é) means “large amount.” 到账 (dào zhàng) means “to arrive in the account,” a crucial related term.
• Example 7:
  • 你能把转账的截图发给我吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bǎ zhuǎnzhàng de jiétú fā gěi wǒ ma?
  • English: Can you send me a screenshot of the transfer?
  • Analysis: In China, sending a screenshot (截图 jiétú) is a common way to provide proof of payment. The 把 (bǎ) structure is used here to emphasize the object (the screenshot).
• Example 8:
  • 跨行转账要收手续费吗？
  • Pinyin: Kuà háng zhuǎnzhàng yào shōu shǒuxùfèi ma?
  • English: Is there a service fee for inter-bank transfers?
  • Analysis: 跨行 (kuà háng) means “cross-bank” or “inter-bank.” 手续费 (shǒuxùfèi) is the “service fee.”
• Example 9:
  • 我忘了转账，明天一定转给你。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ wàng le zhuǎnzhàng, míngtiān yídìng zhuǎn gěi nǐ.
  • English: I forgot to transfer the money, I will definitely transfer it to you tomorrow.
  • Analysis: Shows 转账 as a verb that can be forgotten. Note the simplification in the second clause to just 转 (zhuǎn), which is common in speech once the context is established.
• Example 10:
  • 请确认一下转账信息，特别是收款人姓名和账号。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng quèrèn yíxià zhuǎnzhàng xìnxī, tèbié shì shōukuǎnrén xìngmíng hé zhànghào.
  • English: Please confirm the transfer information, especially the recipient's name and account number.
  • Analysis: A formal and practical sentence one might hear at a bank. It breaks down the key components of a transfer: 收款人 (shōukuǎnrén) - recipient/payee, and 账号 (zhànghào) - account number.

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng) and 支付 (zhīfù).

• 支付 (zhīfù) - To Pay: This is a general term for paying for goods or services. You use it at a cash register, when checking out online, or when scanning a merchant's QR code. It's a consumer-to-business transaction.
  • Correct: 我用微信支付。 (Wǒ yòng Wēixìn zhīfù.) - I'll pay with WeChat.
  • Incorrect: 我用微信转账。 (This sounds like you're going to transfer money to the cashier's personal account, not pay the business. It's awkward and generally incorrect in a retail setting.)
• 转账 (zhuǎnzhàng) - To Transfer: This is specifically for moving money from one account to another (person-to-person, person-to-business account, business-to-business). You 转账 money to your landlord, but you 支付 for your groceries.

Essentially, 支付 is for a purchase, while 转账 is for moving funds. You might complete a payment (付款 fùkuǎn) by means of a transfer (转账).

• 支付 (zhīfù) - To pay. The general act of paying for a product or service.
• 付款 (fùkuǎn) - To make a payment. Similar to 支付 but often more formal or used for settling a specific bill or invoice.
• 汇款 (huìkuǎn) - To remit money. A more formal term, often used for long-distance or international wire transfers (remittances).
• 支付宝 (zhīfùbǎo) - Alipay. One of China's two primary mobile payment platforms, owned by Alibaba.
• 微信支付 (wēixìn zhīfù) - WeChat Pay. The other dominant platform, integrated into the social media app WeChat.
• 账户 (zhànghù) - Account. The bank account or digital wallet account from which a transfer is made.
• 银行卡 (yínhángkǎ) - Bank card. Often linked to a payment app to be the source of funds.
• 红包 (hóngbāo) - Red envelope. Digital red envelopes are a popular social feature that is a fun and symbolic form of 转账.
• 二维码 (èrwéimǎ) - QR Code. The ubiquitous square code you scan to initiate most payments (支付) and informal transfers (转账).
• 手续费 (shǒuxùfèi) - Service fee/commission. The fee that may be charged for certain types of transfers.