令牌 (lìng pái) — (historical) wooden token of authority; tally; (modern) token; access card or badge

Definition

A 令牌 is a token used as proof of authority: historically a wooden tally carried by messengers or generals to verify orders, today a card or digital credential that grants access to a system or area.

noun
(historical) wooden token of authoritytally(modern) tokenaccess card or badge
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 令牌，。
    Jiāng jūn ná chū lìng pái, mìng lìng shì bīng men chōng jìn chéng mén.
    The general took out the wooden token and ordered the soldiers to charge into the city gate.
  • 令牌。
    Zhè zhǒng lìng pái shì gǔ dài diào bīng de píng zhèng.
    This kind of token was the credential used in ancient times to dispatch troops.
  • 令牌。
    Gōng sī de mén jìn xì tǒng xū yào shuā lìng pái cái néng jìn rù.
    The company's access control system requires swiping a token to enter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

令lìngorder
牌páitablet

The 令 (order) and 牌 (tablet) combine to name a token that carries an order.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 亼亼jí
  • 卩卩jié

In 令, the upper 亼 is an open mouth and the lower 卩 is a kneeling person, together showing someone giving orders.

Open 令 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
卑
卑bēi牌pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

牌 puts 片, a flat piece, beside 卑, which gives the sound.

Open 牌 →

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