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署名 (shǔ míng) — to sign one's name

Definition

署名 means to affix one's signature, typically on an official document, contract, or published work. It is more formal than everyday words for 'signing' and emphasizes attaching one's name publicly or legally.

verb
to sign one's name

Examples

  • 署名。
    Qǐng zài wén jiàn shàng shǔ míng.
    Please sign on the document.
  • 。
    Tā zuó wǎn shǔ le míng jiù lí kāi le.
    He signed his name last night and left.
  • 。
    Zhè fèn hé tong xū yào shǔ liǎng cì míng.
    This contract needs to be signed twice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

署shǔsign
名míngname

署 means to sign, and 名 is the name being signed.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
罒Written in full as网wǎngnet
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě署shǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

署 shows a net 罒 for its meaning, and uses 者 to give its sound.

Open 署 →

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 →
Appears in
Reading & Writing

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