身份

• Pinyin: shēn fèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 身 = pictograph of a person — body, self; 份 = 亻(person) + 分 (divide) — one's portion or status

Meaning

Identity; status; capacity. Refers to who a person is or their social role.

Used for official identification (身份证 — ID card), social status (身份地位), and the capacity in which someone acts. The 身份证 is essential in China for travel, banking, and daily activities.

Examples

1. 请出示你的身份证。 Please show your ID card.
2. 他不愿意透露自己的身份。 He is unwilling to reveal his identity.
3. 她以记者的身份参加了那次会议。 She attended that meeting in her capacity as a journalist.

Usage Guide

Context: official documents, social roles, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 办理入住需要身份证。(Checking in requires an ID card.)
• 以老师的身份，我有责任帮助学生。(In my capacity as a teacher, I have a responsibility to help students.)

Don't Say

• 我的身份是中国 meaning 'my identity is China' (身份 refers to personal identity or status — for nationality, say 我是中国人 or 我的国籍是中国)

Origin & History

Compound of 身 (body, self) and 份 (portion, share) — one's portion or place in society, hence identity and status.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal