招牌

• Pinyin: zhāo pai
• Hanzi breakdown: 招 = 扌 + 召 (beckoning); 牌 = 片 + 卑 (board/sign)

Meaning

Signboard; shop sign; signature dish; specialty; trademark.

Literal: business sign displaying shop name. Figurative: signature product, special skill, or defining characteristic. Collocations: 金字招牌 (golden reputation), 招牌菜 (signature dish), 砸招牌 (ruin one's reputation).

Examples

1. 这家百年老店的招牌在夜晚格外醒目。 The signboard of this century-old shop is especially eye-catching at night.
2. 红烧肉是这家餐厅的招牌菜，来这必点。 Braised pork belly is this restaurant’s signature dish—it’s a must-order here.
3. 他的幽默感是他的个人招牌，无人能及。 His sense of humor is his personal trademark—no one can match it.

Usage Guide

Context: business, restaurants, personal branding

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这款产品是公司的招牌，销量一直稳居榜首。(This product is the company's signature item; sales have consistently topped the charts.)
• 砸了自己的招牌，再想恢复声誉就难了。(Once you've ruined your own reputation, it's hard to restore it.)

Don't Say

• 我的招牌是我 — 招牌 needs to refer to a specific trait or skill; be more specific like 我的招牌是幽默

Origin & History

招 (to beckon/attract) + 牌 (sign/board)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal