驾照 (jià zhào) — driver's license

Definition

驾照 is specifically a driver's license. The broader term 执照 means any official permit or license.

noun
driver's license
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 驾照。
    Wǒ dǎ suàn míng nián qù kǎo jià zhào.
    I plan to take the driver's license test next year.
  • 驾照。
    Kāi chē shí yí dìng yào dài jià zhào.
    You must bring your driver's license when driving.
  • 驾照，。
    Tā de jià zhào kuài guò qī le, dé qù huàn.
    His driver's license is about to expire; he needs to renew it.

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.

驾jiàdriving
照zhàolicense

驾 means driving and 照 means license, so 驾照 is the license for driving.

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 駕; 驾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎ
Sound part声符shēngfú
加
加jiā駕jià
Same sound today

In the traditional form 駕, 馬 relates to a horse, and 加 gives the sound; this story is about 駕, not the simplified 驾.

Open 驾 →

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
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
昭
昭zhāo照zhào
Same sound today

照 uses 灬, a bottom form of 火 (fire), plus 昭 for the sound.

Open 照 →
Appears in
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