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证书 (zhèng shū) — certificate; credentials

Definition

证书 is an official document awarded for completing a course or passing a test (diploma, license, qualification). Compare 证件 (ID you carry) and 证明 (proof document).

noun
certificatecredentials
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 证书？
    Nǐ de yīng yǔ zhèng shū shén me shí hou ná dào?
    When did you get your English certificate?
  • 证书。
    Huò dé zhè ge zhèng shū xū yào liǎng nián de xué xí.
    Obtaining this certificate requires two years of study.
  • 证书。
    Gōng sī xū yào wǒ tí gōng xué lì zhèng shū.
    The company requires me to provide my academic credentials.

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.

证zhèngcertificate
书shūdocument

证 is a certificate or proof, and 书 is a document, so 证书 is a document that certifies.

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 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 →

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 書; 书 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
聿聿yùwriting brush
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě書shū
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 書 uses 聿, a writing brush, and 者 for its sound; the simplified 书 is a later shorthand.

Open 书 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Exams & Grades

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