挂名 (guà míng) — (v.o.) to put in one's name (for an honorary or nominal position)

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to hold a title or have one's name listed without real duties — the role is honorary or in name only, with no actual power or involvement.

verb
(v.o.) to put in one's name (for an honorary or nominal position)

Examples

  • 挂名，。
    Tā zhǐ shì guà míng, bù cān yù shí jì gōng zuò.
    He's just nominal — he doesn't take part in the actual work.
  • 。
    Tā zài nà ge wěi yuán huì guà le gè míng.
    He had his name listed on that committee (but with no real role).
  • 挂名。
    guà míng De zhí wèi wǎng wǎng méi yǒu shén me shí quán.
    A nominal position often has no real power.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

挂guàput up
名míngname

The action 挂 is to put up or register, and 名 is the name, so the image is having a name listed nominally.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掛; 挂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卦
卦guà掛guà
Same sound today

In the traditional form 掛, the hand part ⺘ and the sound part 卦 show hooking or hanging something with the hand; this form was originally a popular form of 挂.

Open 挂 →

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

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.