画押 (huà yā) — to sign (a document); to make one's mark (by drawing a cross or symbol)

Definition

An old-fashioned, formal verb meaning 'to sign (a document)' by drawing a personal mark rather than writing a full signature. Today it appears mainly in legal or historical contexts — ordinary signing is 签字.

verb
to sign (a document)to make one's mark (by drawing a cross or symbol)

Examples

  • 画押。
    Qǐng nǐ zài zhè fèn hé tong shàng huà yā.
    Please sign this contract.
  • 。
    Tā huà le yā jiù zǒu le.
    He signed and left.
  • 。
    Nǐ huà gè yā jiù xíng le.
    Just make your mark, that's enough.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

画huàdraw
押yāmark/signature

画 means draw and 押 means a mark or signature, together meaning to draw one's mark to sign.

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 畫; 画 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùbrush
Sound part声符shēngfú
規
規guī畫huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 畫 pairs 聿, a brush, with 規 for its sound. The simplified 画 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the old parts.

Open 画 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ押yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

押 pairs 扌, a hand, with 甲, which gives the sound.

Open 押 →

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