续签 (xù qiān) — to renew (a visa, passport, or similar document)

Definition

Used almost exclusively for renewing an official document or permit (visa, passport, contract). Pair it with the document name; the 'renew' sense does not extend to ordinary subscriptions or memberships.

verb
to renew (a visa, passport, or similar document)

Examples

  • ，续签。
    Wǒ de lǚ yóu qiān zhèng xià ge yuè dào qī, xū yào qù dà shǐ guǎn xù qiān.
    My tourist visa expires next month; I need to go to the embassy to renew it.
  • ，续签。
    Tā jué dìng zài zhōng guó zài gōng zuò liǎng nián, suǒ yǐ tí qián xù qiān le gōng zuò qiān zhèng.
    He decided to work in China for another two years, so he renewed his work visa early.
  • 续签？
    Hù zhào xù qiān xū yào dài nǎ xiē cái liào?
    What materials do I need to bring to renew a passport?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

续xùrenew
签qiānvisa

续 means renew, and 签 means visa; the word describes renewing a visa.

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 續; 续 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠續xù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 續 pairs 糸 (rope) with 𧶠 as the sound part; the simplified 续 is a later abbreviation.

Open 续 →

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 →

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