Meaning
This is the official national identification card issued to all Chinese citizens aged 16 and older. It contains personal information including name, ID number, photo, address, and date of birth. The card is essential for daily life in China, required for everything from buying train tickets to checking into hotels.
Usage
This is a formal, official term used in all contexts requiring identification. In casual conversation, people often shorten it to 身份证 or simply say 证 (zhèng). It's mandatory to carry when traveling within China and is requested frequently by authorities, hotels, and service providers. The full 18-digit ID number is called 身份证号码 (shēn fèn zhèng hào mǎ).
Examples
- 01请出示您的身份证。.Please show your ID card.
- 02我把身份证忘在家里了。.I forgot my ID card at home.
Characters
Measure words
- 张一张身份证
- 本一本身份证
Common collocations
- 身份证号码ID card number
- 办身份证to apply for/process an ID card
- 出示身份证to show/present one's ID card
- 身份证复印件photocopy of ID card
Origin
Literally 'body-status-certificate,' this compound was formed in modern Chinese to denote official identification documents. The term became standard with the introduction of the national ID card system in China.