Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== shāngbiāo: 商标 - Trademark, Brand, Logo ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 商标, shangbiao, Chinese trademark, Chinese brand, logo in Chinese, register a brand in China, intellectual property China, brand name, trademark law China, 品牌, pǐnpái * **Summary:** Discover the meaning of **商标 (shāngbiāo)**, the Chinese word for "trademark" or "logo." This page explains its crucial role in modern Chinese business, from legal registration to brand identity. Learn the difference between a `商标` and a `品牌 (pǐnpái)`, how to use it in conversation, and understand the cultural context of intellectual property in China, making it an essential term for anyone interested in Chinese commerce or language. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** shāngbiāo * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 * **Concise Definition:** A mark, logo, or name legally registered or established by use to represent a company or product. * **In a Nutshell:** `商标` is the official, legal symbol of a business. Think of it as a company's unique signature or seal. It can be a name, a design, or a combination of both that is legally protected. While we might casually call the Nike "swoosh" a logo, in a business or legal context in China, it's a classic example of a `商标`. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **商 (shāng):** This character means "commerce," "trade," or "business." It originally depicted a high tower, perhaps a place for merchants to meet and consult. * **标 (biāo):** This character means "mark," "sign," "label," or "standard." It's a combination of a tree/wood radical (木) and a phonetic component (票), suggesting something like a signpost or a label attached to goods. * Together, 商 (business) + 标 (mark) literally and logically create the meaning "business mark" or "trademark." ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The concept of `商标` is at the heart of China's rapid economic transformation. Historically, a business's reputation was tied to its **字号 (zìhào)**, its traditional, established shop name, which was built on generations of trust and community standing. In modern China, the Western legal concept of the `商标` has become paramount. This shift reflects China's integration into the global economy and its growing emphasis on intellectual property (IP) rights (`知识产权 zhīshì chǎnquán`). A key cultural and business phenomenon to understand is **"trademark squatting" (抢注商标 qiǎngzhù shāngbiāo)**. China operates on a "first-to-file" system, meaning whoever registers the `商标` first owns it, regardless of who used it first elsewhere. This has led to many cases where foreign companies entering China find their brand name has already been registered by a local entity. This makes understanding and proactively registering your `商标` a critical first step for any business in China, highlighting a significant difference from the "first-to-use" principles common in Western countries like the United States. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== `商标` is used in both formal legal/business contexts and informal daily life. * **In Business and Law:** It's a precise term used in contracts, marketing strategy meetings, and legal disputes over intellectual property. For example, "We need to design our new product's `商标`" (`我们新产品的商标需要设计一下`). * **In Daily Conversation:** People use it interchangeably with `牌子 (páizi)` to ask "what brand?" something is. For example, when looking at a piece of clothing, you might ask, "这是什么商标的？" (What brand is this?). It's slightly more formal than `牌子`. * **Connotation:** The term itself is neutral. However, having a registered and well-known `商标` carries a very positive connotation of legitimacy, quality, and success. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我们公司必须尽快**注册**这个**商标**，以防被别人抢注。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī bìxū jìnkuài zhùcè zhège **shāngbiāo**, yǐfáng bèi biérén qiǎngzhù. * English: Our company must register this **trademark** as soon as possible to prevent others from squatting on it. * Analysis: This sentence highlights the practical, urgent nature of trademark registration in China's "first-to-file" system. * **Example 2:** * 可口可乐的**商标**是全世界最知名的标志之一。 * Pinyin: Kěkǒukělè de **shāngbiāo** shì quán shìjiè zuì zhī míng de biāozhì zhīyī. * English: Coca-Cola's **trademark** is one of the most recognized logos in the world. * Analysis: Here, `商标` is used to refer to the iconic logo itself. * **Example 3:** * 你看，这个包的**商标**是假的，肯定是山寨货。 * Pinyin: Nǐ kàn, zhège bāo de **shāngbiāo** shì jiǎ de, kěndìng shì shānzhài huò. * English: Look, this bag's **logo** is fake; it's definitely a knock-off. * Analysis: This shows how `商标` is used in the context of identifying counterfeit goods (`山寨货 shānzhài huò`). * **Example 4:** * 设计一个好的**商标**对公司的品牌形象至关重要。 * Pinyin: Shèjì yíge hǎo de **shāngbiāo** duì gōngsī de pǐnpái xíngxiàng zhì guān zhòngyào. * English: Designing a good **trademark** is crucial for a company's brand image. * Analysis: This sentence connects the legal `商标` to the broader concept of brand image (`品牌形象 pǐnpái xíngxiàng`). * **Example 5:** * 未经授权使用他人**商标**是侵权行为。 * Pinyin: Wèijīng shòuquán shǐyòng tārén **shāngbiāo** shì qīnquán xíngwéi. * English: Using another's **trademark** without authorization is an act of infringement. * Analysis: A formal, legalistic sentence demonstrating the term's use in the context of IP law. `侵权 (qīnquán)` means infringement. * **Example 6:** * 这家餐厅的**商标**就是一个简单的汉字“面”。 * Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de **shāngbiāo** jiùshì yíge jiǎndān de hànzì “miàn”. * English: This restaurant's **logo** is just a simple Chinese character for "noodles". * Analysis: Shows that a `商标` can be very simple, even a single character. * **Example 7:** * 我们的律师正在处理**商标**纠纷案。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen de lǜshī zhèngzài chǔlǐ **shāngbiāo** jiūfēn àn. * English: Our lawyers are currently handling a **trademark** dispute case. * Analysis: `纠纷 (jiūfēn)` means "dispute," a common word paired with `商标`. * **Example 8:** * 你能认出这个汽车的**商标**吗？ * Pinyin: Nǐ néng rènchū zhège qìchē de **shāngbiāo** ma? * English: Can you recognize this car's **logo**? * Analysis: A very common, everyday question. * **Example 9:** * 一个受保护的**商标**是公司宝贵的无形资产。 * Pinyin: Yíge shòu bǎohù de **shāngbiāo** shì gōngsī bǎoguì de wúxíng zīchǎn. * English: A protected **trademark** is a company's valuable intangible asset. * Analysis: This sentence uses advanced business vocabulary (`无形资产 wúxíng zīchǎn`, intangible asset) to describe the value of a `商标`. * **Example 10:** * 这个新饮料的**商标**设计得很有创意。 * Pinyin: Zhège xīn yǐnliào de **shāngbiāo** shèjì de hěn yǒu chuàngyì. * English: The **logo** for this new drink is designed very creatively. * Analysis: Focuses on the design and creative aspect of a `商标`. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **商标 (shāngbiāo) vs. 品牌 (pǐnpái):** This is the most critical distinction for learners. * **`商标 (shāngbiāo)`** is the legal, registered mark. It's the **logo, name, or symbol** itself (e.g., the Apple logo, the name "Google"). It is a legal asset that can be bought, sold, and defended in court. * **`品牌 (pǐnpái)`** is the **"brand"**—the entire concept, reputation, feeling, and customer experience associated with the mark. It's the trust you have in Apple products or the "search" authority of Google. * **Analogy:** The "swoosh" is Nike's `商标`. The feeling of athleticism, quality, and coolness associated with Nike is its `品牌`. You protect your `商标` to build your `品牌`. * **Common Mistake:** Using `商标` when you mean the overall brand experience. * **Incorrect:** 我很喜欢这个**商标**，他们的服务总是很好。(Wǒ hěn xǐhuān zhège **shāngbiāo**, tāmen de fúwù zǒngshì hěn hǎo.) -> "I really like this **trademark**, their service is always great." * **Correction:** 我很喜欢这个**品牌**，他们的服务总是很好。(Wǒ hěn xǐhuān zhège **pǐnpái**, tāmen de fúwù zǒngshì hěn hǎo.) -> "I really like this **brand**, their service is always great." * **Why it's wrong:** You don't like the legal mark itself; you like the brand experience and reputation it represents. You use `品牌 (pǐnpái)` to talk about the company's overall identity and service. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[品牌]] (pǐnpái) - The broader concept of "brand," encompassing reputation, customer perception, and identity. `商标` is the legal core of a `品牌`. * [[牌子]] (páizi) - A more colloquial term for "brand" or "label," often used in everyday shopping. Less formal than `商标` or `品牌`. * [[注册]] (zhùcè) - To register. The essential verb used with `商标`, as in `注册商标` (to register a trademark). * [[知识产权]] (zhīshì chǎnquán) - Intellectual Property (IP). The broad legal category that includes trademarks, patents, and copyrights. * [[侵权]] (qīnquán) - Infringement. Used to describe the illegal use of a trademark, as in `商标侵权` (trademark infringement). * [[山寨]] (shānzhài) - Counterfeit, knock-off. This popular term describes products that illegally copy a famous `商标` and design. * [[专利]] (zhuānlì) - Patent. Another key type of intellectual property, protecting inventions and processes, often discussed alongside `商标`. * [[标志]] (biāozhì) - Sign, symbol, or logo. A more general term for a visual mark, whereas `商标` specifically implies a commercial and often legally registered one. * [[字号]] (zìhào) - The traditional, historical name of a shop or enterprise, considered a precursor to the modern `商标` in Chinese business culture.