‘入股’ literally means ‘enter (rù) a share (gǔ)’ — it refers to investing money in a company or project in exchange for ownership equity, not just lending money. Unlike loans or deposits, 入股 gives the investor partial ownership rights and potential profit-sharing, but also carries financial risk if the business fails. It’s commonly used when individuals join startups, family businesses, or cooperative ventures.

The term emphasizes participation as a co-owner rather than a passive financier. It often appears in formal contexts like business agreements, news reports about private investment, or casual conversations among entrepreneurs. While ‘股’ alone can mean ‘share’ or ‘stock’, combining it with ‘入’ creates a verb specifically denoting the act of becoming an equity investor — distinct from buying publicly traded stocks (which uses 购买股票 or 投资股市).