zhè shì yínhángkǎ.

It follows a very common Chinese pattern:

这 + 是 + 银行卡
this + is + bank card

So the structure is:

Topic/subject + linking verb + noun

In English, this is like This is a bank card.

这 means this.

It points to something near the speaker, just like English this. In full form, you may also see:

这个 = this one / this

But in a sentence like 这是银行卡, using just 这 is very natural.

Examples:

• 这是书。 = This is a book.
• 这是我的。 = This is mine.

Chinese does not use articles like a, an, or the.

So 这是银行卡 could mean:

• This is a bank card
• This is the bank card

The exact meaning depends on context.

That is very normal in Chinese. You often rely on the situation rather than extra words.

是 is the verb to be in sentences that connect one noun to another.

Here, it links:

• 这 = this
• 银行卡 = bank card

So:

这是银行卡 = This is a bank card

A key point: 是 is commonly used when one thing is being identified as another thing.

Examples:

• 我是学生。 = I am a student.
• 他是老师。 = He is a teacher.

Not always.

In beginner sentences, it often works that way, but Chinese does not use 是 in every place English uses to be.

For example:

• 我是美国人。 = I am American. → 是 is used.
• 我很高兴。 = I am happy. → 是 is not used.

So 是 is mainly for identifying or equating nouns, not usually before adjectives.

银行卡 means bank card.

It is made of three parts:

• 银行 = bank
• 卡 = card

So literally it is bank-card.

Depending on context, it can refer to:

• a bank card in general
• a debit card
• sometimes a card associated with a bank account

If you want to be more specific, Chinese can also say things like:

• 信用卡 = credit card
• 借记卡 = debit card

Yes. Chinese often builds words by combining smaller meaningful parts.

Here:

• 银行 = bank
• 卡 = card

Together:

• 银行卡 = bank card

This is very common in Chinese vocabulary. Learning to notice parts inside longer words is very helpful.

For example:

• 手机 = hand + machine = mobile phone
• 电脑 = electric + brain = computer

这 is pronounced zhè.

A few pronunciation tips:

• zh is not exactly like English j or z. It is a retroflex sound: your tongue curls slightly back.
• The vowel is similar to the e sound often written in pinyin after zh/ch/sh/r.
• It has the 4th tone, so it falls sharply: zhè

If you struggle with zh, compare:

• z = tongue more forward
• zh = tongue curled back a bit

是 is pronounced shì.

Tips:

• sh is also retroflex, with the tongue slightly curled back.
• It has the 4th tone, a strong falling tone.

So both 这 and 是 have falling tones:

• zhè
• shì

That gives the sentence a firm rhythm at the start: zhè shì ...

It is pronounced:

yín háng kǎ

Tone by tone:

• 银 = yín (2nd tone)
• 行 = háng (2nd tone, in this word)
• 卡 = kǎ (3rd tone)

Important note: 行 can have different pronunciations in different words.
In 银行, it is háng, not xíng.

So:

• 银行 = yínháng = bank
• not yínxíng

Because after 是, you can directly identify something with a noun.

So 这是银行卡 is fine.

Measure words are usually needed with numbers or demonstratives when the noun is being used directly in a noun phrase, for example:

• 这张银行卡 = this bank card

But in 这是银行卡, 这 stands alone as this, and the sentence means This is a bank card, so no measure word is needed there.

Compare:

• 这是银行卡。 = This is a bank card.
• 这张银行卡。 = This bank card.

Usually, no—that sounds incomplete or unnatural in most contexts.

If you want to say This is a bank card, the normal sentence is:

这是银行卡。

If you want to include a measure word with the noun, you would usually say:

这张是银行卡。
This would only work in a special context, like contrasting cards, and even then it sounds odd by itself.

Much more natural would be:

• 这是张银行卡。 = This is a bank card.
• 这是一张银行卡。 = This is a bank card.

Both are possible, and 一张 emphasizes a/one card.

They are very similar, but not exactly the same in feel.

• 这是银行卡。 = This is a bank card.
• 这是一张银行卡。 = This is a bank card / This is one bank card.

The version with 一张 sounds a little more explicit and concrete, because it includes:

• 一 = one
• 张 = measure word for flat objects like cards, paper, tables, etc.

In everyday speech, both can be fine.

张 is a common measure word for flat, thin objects.

That includes things like:

• 纸 (paper)
• 桌子 (tables, in measure-word usage)
• 票 (tickets)
• 卡 (cards)

So:

• 一张银行卡 = a bank card
• 两张银行卡 = two bank cards

Measure words are an important part of Chinese, and 张 is one of the most useful ones to learn early.

Yes, very easily.

The most common yes/no version is:

这是银行卡吗？
= Is this a bank card?

You just add 吗 at the end.

You could also ask:

• 这是什么？ = What is this?

That is a very common beginner pattern:

• 这是什么？
• 这是银行卡。

Yes, in this sentence it is very similar to English.

Chinese: 这 / 是 / 银行卡
this / is / bank card

English: This / is / a bank card

So this sentence is a nice example where Chinese and English word order match closely.

But do not assume all Chinese sentences work exactly like English—many other sentence patterns are different.

Yes.

• 这 = this
• 那 = that

So:

那是银行卡。
= That is a bank card.

Use 这 for something near the speaker, and 那 for something farther away or less immediate.

Yes, it is natural, especially in a teaching, labeling, or identification context.

For example:

• showing someone different cards
• teaching vocabulary
• identifying an object

In everyday conversation, native speakers might also say more specific things depending on context, such as:

• 这是我的银行卡。 = This is my bank card.
• 这是一张银行卡。 = This is a bank card.
• 这是银行卡，不是信用卡。 = This is a bank card, not a credit card.

So the sentence is correct and natural, especially as a basic identification sentence.