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签证 (qiān zhèng) — (noun) visa; (verb) to issue a visa

Definition

签证 (qiān zhèng) is the official noun for a 'visa' — the document itself, or the act of issuing one. Pair it with 申请 ('apply for') when you're the applicant; 申办 / 申领 are more formal synonyms for the same action.

noun
visa
verb
to issue a visa
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 签证。
    Wǒ de qiān zhèng xià ge yuè guò qī.
    My visa expires next month.
  • 签证。
    Tā zhèng zài bàn qù měi guó de qiān zhèng.
    He is applying for a visa to the United States.
  • 签证？
    Nǐ de qiān zhèng shén me shí hou bàn hǎo?
    When will your visa be processed?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

签qiānsign
证zhèngcertificate

签 refers to signing or endorsing, and 证 refers to the certificate or document involved in that action.

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 籤; 签 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 签 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (签, 签订) it is 簽; in others it is 籤.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
韱
韱xiān籤⁰qiān(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籤 shows 竹, bamboo, for the material, plus 韱 to give the sound; the simplified 签 is a later shorthand.

Open 签 →

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 證; 证 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
登
登dēng證zhèng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 證 pairs 言, a words/speech part, with 登 as a sound clue; the simplified 证 is a later shorthand.

Open 证 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Travel & Tourism

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