签证

• Pinyin: qiān zhèng
• Hanzi breakdown: 签 = 竹 + 佥, to sign/stamp; 证 = 讠+ 正, certificate/proof

Meaning

Visa; to issue a visa. Official permission to enter, leave, or stay in a country.

Can be a noun (旅游签证 tourist visa, 工作签证 work visa) or verb (签证处 visa office). Types include: 落地签证 (visa on arrival), 过境签证 (transit visa), 免签证 (visa-free). Essential for international travel.

Examples

1. 去美国旅游需要提前办理签证。 Traveling to the US requires applying for a visa in advance.
2. 她的工作签证还有三个月到期。 Her work visa expires in three months.
3. 签证申请被拒绝了，他只好改变计划。 The visa application was rejected, so he had to change his plans.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, immigration, bureaucracy

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 你的签证办下来了吗？(Has your visa been approved?)
• 记得检查签证有效期。(Remember to check the visa validity period.)

Don't Say

• 我拿到了签证纸。(Just say 签证 — adding 纸 is redundant)

Origin & History

签 (qiān, to sign/stamp) + 证 (zhèng, certificate). A signed/stamped certificate for travel.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal