入籍 (rù jí) — to become naturalized (as a citizen)

Definition

A formal term meaning to become a naturalized citizen (taking on another country's 籍/nationality). Used in official, legal, and immigration contexts rather than daily conversation.

verb
to become naturalized (as a citizen)

Examples

  • ，入籍。
    Tā zài měi guó zhù le shí nián, qù nián zhōng yú rù jí le.
    He lived in the US for ten years and finally naturalized last year.
  • ，。
    Tā rù de shì jiā ná dà jí, bú shì měi guó jí.
    She naturalized as a Canadian citizen, not an American one.
  • 入籍。
    Hěn duō yí mín xuǎn zé rù jí shì wèi le xiǎng shòu gèng hǎo de fú lì.
    Many immigrants choose to naturalize in order to enjoy better benefits.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

入rùenter
籍jíregister

“入” means enter and “籍” means register, so it denotes being entered into a citizen register.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

入 is drawn as an arrowhead, indicating 'to enter'.

Open 入 →

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
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
耤
耤jí籍jí
Same sound today

籍 pairs 𥫗 (bamboo, written as 竹) with 耤 for the sound. The bamboo part is for bamboo census books.

Open 籍 →

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