gàizhāng: 盖章 - To Stamp, To Affix a Seal

• Keywords: gàizhāng, 盖章, Chinese seal, Chinese chop, how to use a Chinese seal, official stamp China, company seal China, 盖章 meaning, stamp a document in Chinese, legal signature China, official procedure, bureaucracy.
• Summary: In China, 盖章 (gàizhāng) is the critical act of stamping a document with an official seal, or “chop.” Far more than a simple rubber stamp, this action makes documents legally valid and binding. For contracts, certificates, and official forms, the red ink of a company or government seal often holds more legal weight than a handwritten signature, making understanding 盖章 essential for anyone doing business or dealing with bureaucracy in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gàizhāng
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object Compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To affix an official seal or stamp to a document to grant it authenticity and legal effect.
• In a Nutshell: Imagine the most powerful, legally-binding signature you can think of—like one that has been notarized. In many formal Chinese contexts, that's 盖章. It's the physical act of pressing an engraved seal (the “章”) onto paper, which “covers” (盖) it with official approval. Without this stamp, a contract or certificate is often just a piece of paper.

• 盖 (gài): The primary meaning of this character is “to cover,” “a lid,” or “to build.” Think of a lid covering a jar. In 盖章, it takes on the verb meaning of “to cover” or “to apply” the seal onto the document.
• 章 (zhāng): This character means “seal,” “stamp,” or “chapter” (as in a book). Here, it refers directly to the physical object used for stamping—the official seal, often called a “chop” in English.
• The two characters combine literally and logically: 盖 (to apply) + 章 (a seal) = 盖章 (to apply a seal).

The concept of 盖章 is deeply rooted in Chinese history and represents a different understanding of authority and identity compared to the West. In Western cultures, particularly American culture, a handwritten signature is the ultimate mark of personal agreement and identity. Its uniqueness is its strength. In China, while signatures (签名, qiānmíng) are used, the ultimate symbol of official authority and authenticity belongs to the seal (印章, yìnzhāng).

• The Seal as the Authority: A company's official seal (公章, gōngzhāng) is a physical object that embodies the company's legal identity. Whoever holds the seal can, in theory, approve documents on behalf of the company. This is why control of the company seal is a major issue in Chinese business disputes. The power is vested in the object, not just the person.
• Comparison to a Signature: A Westerner might sign a contract to make it valid. In China, that same contract would almost certainly require the company's red seal to be stamped on it. The signature of the CEO might be there, but the 盖章 is often the legally decisive action. It's less about individual assent (“I agree”) and more about official, institutional validation (“This is officially approved”). This reflects a cultural value placed on collective and institutional authority over individual authority.

盖章 is a verb you will encounter constantly when dealing with any formal procedure in China.

• In Business: This is where you'll see it most. All contracts, official invoices (发票, fāpiào), banking documents, and human resource letters require the company's official red seal. A verbal agreement or even a signed but unstamped document can be considered non-binding.
• In Government and Bureaucracy: Any application—for a visa, a business license, a permit, or a university degree—involves a journey of getting the right documents 盖章-ed by the right departments. It's a hallmark of Chinese administrative procedure (手续, shǒuxù).
• In Personal Life: While less frequent, individuals can have personal name seals. These are required for certain major transactions like selling property. Diplomas, marriage certificates, and other official life documents are all validated with a 盖章 from the issuing institution.
• Formality: The term is highly formal. You would never use it for something casual, like putting a decorative stamp on a birthday card.

• Example 1:
  • 这份合同需要双方盖章才能生效。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn hétong xūyào shuāngfāng gàizhāng cáinéng shēngxiào.
  • English: This contract needs to be stamped by both parties before it can take effect.
  • Analysis: This is a classic and extremely common use case in a business context. 生效 (shēngxiào) means “to become effective,” which is the direct result of the 盖章 action.
• Example 2:
  • 你得去行政部门给这张申请表盖章。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ děi qù xíngzhèng bùmén gěi zhè zhāng shēnqǐngbiǎo gàizhāng.
  • English: You have to go to the administration department to get this application form stamped.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the bureaucratic nature of 盖章. It's often a task you have to complete by going to a specific person or department.
• Example 3:
  • 财务说，没有盖章的发票不能报销。
  • Pinyin: Cáiwù shuō, méiyǒu gàizhāng de fāpiào bùnéng bàoxiāo.
  • English: The finance department says that invoices without an official stamp cannot be reimbursed.
  • Analysis: A very practical and real-world example. The fāpiào (发票), or official invoice, is useless for reimbursement (报销, bàoxiāo) without the proper seal.
• Example 4:
  • 请在这里盖章。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng zài zhèlǐ gàizhāng.
  • English: Please stamp it here.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct instruction you might give or receive when handling official paperwork.
• Example 5:
  • 毕业证书上必须有学校的盖章。
  • Pinyin: Bìyè zhèngshū shàng bìxū yǒu xuéxiào de gàizhāng.
  • English: The graduation certificate must have the school's official stamp on it.
  • Analysis: Here, 盖章 is used almost like a noun, referring to “the stamp” or “the act of stamping.” A more literal translation would be “…must have the school's stamping.”
• Example 6:
  • 忘了盖章，所以这份文件无效。
  • Pinyin: Wàngle gàizhāng, suǒyǐ zhè fèn wénjiàn wúxiào.
  • English: I forgot to stamp it, so this document is invalid.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the consequence of failing to 盖章. The document becomes 无效 (wúxiào), or invalid.
• Example 7:
  • 他拿着文件跑了三个部门才把章都盖全了。
  • Pinyin: Tā názhe wénjiàn pǎole sān ge bùmén cái bǎ zhāng dōu gài quán le.
  • English: He ran to three different departments with the document to finally get all the stamps.
  • Analysis: A very common complaint about bureaucracy. Note the separation of 盖 (gài) and 章 (zhāng). 把章盖全 (bǎ zhāng gài quán) means “to get all the stamps completely.” This is advanced, but shows flexibility.
• Example 8:
  • 这个项目的批准需要公司盖章。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xiàngmù de pīzhǔn xūyào gōngsī gàizhāng.
  • English: The approval for this project requires the company's stamp.
  • Analysis: Shows that 盖章 is synonymous with official approval (批准, pīzhǔn).
• Example 9:
  • 他们拒绝在我们的文件上盖章。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen jùjué zài wǒmen de wénjiàn shàng gàizhāng.
  • English: They refused to stamp our document.
  • Analysis: A simple negative form, using 拒绝 (jùjué), to refuse. This can mean a deal has fallen through or a request has been denied.
• Example 10:
  • 文件一盖章，我们就把货发出去。
  • Pinyin: Wénjiàn yī gàizhāng, wǒmen jiù bǎ huò fā chūqù.
  • English: As soon as the document is stamped, we will ship the goods.
  • Analysis: This uses the `一…就… (yī…jiù…)` structure, meaning “as soon as… then…”. It shows that 盖章 is often the final trigger for an action.

• 盖章 (gàizhāng) vs. 签名 (qiānmíng): This is the most crucial distinction for a learner.
  • 盖章 (gàizhāng): To apply an official seal/chop. Represents institutional or corporate authority. Often legally required for contracts and official documents.
  • 签名 (qiānmíng): To sign your name by hand. Represents personal agreement. In many formal settings, a signature alone is insufficient without an accompanying seal.
  • Common Mistake: Thinking a signature is always enough. In a Chinese business context, asking “Where do I sign?” might get the response, “We don't need your signature, we need your company to 盖章.”
• Not for Fun Stamps: Do not use 盖章 to talk about decorative stamping or a child playing with stamps. That would be 盖图章 (gài túzhāng) or just 盖 (gài). Using 盖章 would sound strangely formal and bureaucratic, as if a toddler were legally validating their drawing.
  • Incorrect: 我在我的日记本上盖章。(Wǒ zài wǒ de rìjìběn shàng gàizhāng.) - Sounds like you are officially notarizing your diary.
  • Correct: 我在我的日记本上盖了一个可爱的图章。(Wǒ zài wǒ de rìjìběn shàng gàile yí ge kě'ài de túzhāng.) - I stamped a cute stamp in my diary.

• 印章 (yìnzhāng) - The physical object used to 盖章; the seal, stamp, or chop itself.
• 公章 (gōngzhāng) - The official company/corporate seal, the most common type of 章 (zhāng) used in business.
• 合同 (hétong) - A contract. The primary type of document that needs to be 盖章-ed.
• 签名 (qiānmíng) - To sign (by hand). The Western counterpart to 盖章, often used together but the seal is typically more powerful.
• 发票 (fāpiào) - Official invoices in China, which are invalid for tax or reimbursement purposes without the supplier's 盖章.
• 有效 (yǒuxiào) - Valid; effective. A document becomes 有效 after being properly stamped.
• 手续 (shǒuxù) - Formal procedures, processes, or red tape. Completing 手续 almost always involves getting various documents 盖章-ed.
• 文件 (wénjiàn) - Document; file. The general term for the thing you 盖章 on.
• 法人章 (fǎrén zhāng) - The personal seal of the official Legal Representative of a company. Another extremely important and powerful seal.
• 批准 (pīzhǔn) - To approve; approval. 盖章 is the physical act of granting 批准.