贷款 (dài kuǎn) means 'loan' — money borrowed from a bank, financial institution, or individual, usually with an agreement to repay it, often with interest. The character 贷 (dài) means 'to lend' or 'to borrow', and 款 (kuǎn) means 'funds' or 'money'; together, they literally convey 'borrowed funds'. This term is formal and widely used in banking, business, and personal finance contexts.

贷款 is commonly used as a noun (e.g., 申请贷款 'apply for a loan') and can also function attributively (e.g., 贷款利率 'loan interest rate'). It does not imply informal borrowing among friends — for that, people usually say 借钱 (jiè qián). Loans may be secured (e.g., house loans) or unsecured (e.g., personal loans), and the process typically involves credit checks, contracts, and repayment schedules.