标志 (biāo zhì) — (noun) a sign, mark, symbol, or logo; (verb) to… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A 'sign, mark, or symbol' (noun) and 'to indicate/mark' (verb) — broader than 商标 (trademark/logo) or 符号 (abstract symbol); it covers traffic signs, logos, and figurative markers of meaning.

noun

a signmarksymbolor logo

verb

to symbolizeto indicateto mark

Measure word · 个

Easily confused

标致biāo zhìsound-alikebeautiful, pretty (of a woman)

Examples

标志。
Dì tú shàng de biāo zhì dài biǎo chéng shì.
The symbols on the map represent cities.
标志。
Tā de chéng gōng biāo zhì zhe nǔ lì de jié guǒ.
His success marks the result of hard work.
标志。
Zhè ge biāo zhì biǎo shì fāng xiàng.
This sign indicates direction.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

标 and 志 both mean mark or sign; together they form 标志.

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 標; 标 is its simplified writing.

木票標

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

票

票piào標biāo

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 標 pairs 木 with 票, and 票 gives the sound; the simplified 标 is the modern form of that traditional character.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

之

之zhī志zhì

Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Appears in

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