记者证 (jì zhě zhèng) — press card

Definition

A press card is the official ID issued to journalists that grants them access to press events and venues. It functions as a credential, not just a job title like 记者.

noun
press card
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 记者证。
    Tā chū shì le tā de jì zhě zhèng cái jìn rù huì chǎng.
    He showed his press card before entering the venue.
  • 记者证。
    Méi yǒu jì zhě zhèng jiù bù néng cǎi fǎng zhòng yào huì yì.
    Without a press card, you can't interview important meetings.
  • ，记者证。
    Tā shì yì míng jì zhě, suí shēn xié dài jì zhě zhèng.
    He is a journalist and carries a press card with him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

记者reporter
记jìrecord者zhěperson
后缀Suffix
证zhèngcertificate

记者 gives a reporter and 证 gives a certificate or card, so the whole is a press card.

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 記; 记 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ記jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 記 pairs 言 (speech; words) with 己 as a sound part; the simplified 记 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 记 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.