报名

• Pinyin: bào míng
• Hanzi breakdown: 报 (bào) — to report, register, announce; 名 (míng) — name

Meaning

To sign up; to register; to enroll. Commonly used for classes, competitions, exams, or activities.

A verb-object compound meaning to register for something. The noun form is 报名表 (registration form).

Examples

1. 我打算报名参加这次汉语考试。 I plan to sign up for this Chinese language exam.
2. 报名截止日期是下周五。 The registration deadline is next Friday.
3. 已经有五十个学生报名了这门课。 Fifty students have already enrolled in this course.

Usage Guide

Context: exams, courses, competitions, events

Tone: practical, administrative

Do Say

• 你报名了吗？(Have you signed up yet?)
• 我要报名参加比赛。(I want to register for the competition.)

Don't Say

• Do not confuse 报名 with 登记 — 登记 is broader (check-in, hotel registration), while 报名 specifically means signing up to participate in an activity.

Origin & History

Compound of 报 (to report, to announce, to register) and 名 (name). Literally 'to submit one's name', i.e., to register.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal