xíngshǐzhèng: 行驶证 - Vehicle Registration Certificate

• Keywords: 行驶证, xingshizheng, Chinese vehicle registration, car papers in China, driving in China, vehicle license China, 行驶证是什么, what is a xingshizheng, car ownership certificate China, 驾驶证, jiashizheng, driver's license vs vehicle registration.
• Summary: The 行驶证 (xíngshǐzhèng) is the official vehicle registration certificate in China, essentially a car's ID card. It is a critical legal document you must keep in your vehicle at all times, containing key information like the owner's name, license plate number, and engine details. For anyone driving or owning a car in China, understanding the 行驶证 is non-negotiable. It is frequently confused with the driver's license (驾驶证, jiàshǐzhèng), but remember: the 行驶证 is for the car, while the 驾驶证 is for the driver.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xíngshǐzhèng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (Essential real-world vocabulary)
• Concise Definition: A legal document that serves as the official registration certificate for a motor vehicle in China.
• In a Nutshell: The 行驶证 is the car's passport. It doesn't prove you can drive, but it proves the car is legally allowed to be on the road. It's a small, laminated booklet that lives in the glove compartment. During a traffic stop, the police will ask for this document *and* your driver's license. It's the key to everything from passing annual inspections to selling the car.

• 行 (xíng): To travel, to go, or to move. Think of a person walking. In this context, it refers to the vehicle's movement on the road.
• 驶 (shǐ): To drive or pilot a vehicle (like a car, boat, or ship). This character is specifically about the act of operating a machine for transport.
• 证 (zhèng): A certificate, card, or proof. This character is found in many official documents, like a student ID card (学生证, xuéshēngzhèng) or a national ID card (身份证, shēnfènzhèng).

Together, 行 (travel) + 驶 (drive) + 证 (certificate) literally form the “travel-drive-certificate.” It's the official proof that allows a vehicle to travel and be driven.

The 行驶证 is a perfect example of the importance of official documentation in modern China. While not a deep cultural artifact from ancient times, it reflects the highly organized and regulated nature of contemporary Chinese society. Owning and operating a vehicle is not just a personal freedom but a regulated activity overseen by the state. Comparison to the West: In the United States, a driver typically has a “Vehicle Registration Card” in their car. The Chinese 行驶证 serves a very similar function. However, there's a key distinction regarding “proof of ownership.”

• In China: The 行驶证 (xíngshǐzhèng) is the primary document for on-road legality and must be in the car. The ultimate proof of ownership, similar to an American “car title,” is a separate, larger document called the 机动车登记证书 (jīdòngchē dēngjì zhèngshū), which is usually kept in a safe place at home.
• In the US: The term “registration” and “title” are distinct. The registration card is for the road, and the title is for ownership.

The absolute necessity of the 行驶证 for any vehicle-related task—from insurance claims to annual inspections (年检, niánjiǎn)—underscores a system where state-issued documents are the keys to navigating bureaucracy. There is no “winging it”; you must have the correct papers.

The 行驶证 is not a term you use in casual conversation about your day, but it's essential in any context involving your car's legality.

• Traffic Stops: This is the most common scenario. A traffic police officer (交警, jiāojǐng) will almost always ask for it alongside your driver's license. The standard phrase is: “请出示您的驾驶证和行驶证” (Qǐng chūshì nín de jiàshǐzhèng hé xíngshǐzhèng) - “Please show your driver's license and vehicle registration.”
• Annual Vehicle Inspection (年检, niánjiǎn): You cannot complete the mandatory vehicle inspection without the original 行驶证. The inspection station will update the document after the vehicle passes.
• Buying/Selling a Vehicle: Transferring ownership is impossible without the original 行驶证. All the information on it must match the vehicle and the seller's ID.
• Insurance: When buying insurance or making a claim after an accident, the insurance company will require information from the 行驶证.

The term is always used in its full, formal sense. There are no common slang or shortened versions.

• Example 1:
  • 警察让我把车停在路边，并出示我的行驶证和驾驶证。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngchá ràng wǒ bǎ chē tíng zài lùbiān, bìng chūshì wǒ de xíngshǐzhèng hé jiàshǐzhèng.
  • English: The police officer had me pull the car over to the side of the road and show my vehicle registration and driver's license.
  • Analysis: A classic and highly practical sentence. Note the two different documents required.
• Example 2:
  • 糟糕，我好像把行驶证忘在家里了！
  • Pinyin: Zāogāo, wǒ hǎoxiàng bǎ xíngshǐzhèng wàng zài jiālǐ le!
  • English: Oh no, I think I forgot the vehicle registration at home!
  • Analysis: This expresses a common moment of panic for drivers in China. The “把 (bǎ)” structure is used to show the disposal of the object (the 行驶证) to a location (at home).
• Example 3:
  • 每年都得去年检，他们会在你的行驶证上盖个章。
  • Pinyin: Měi nián dōu děi qù niánjiǎn, tāmen huì zài nǐ de xíngshǐzhèng shàng gàige zhāng.
  • English: You have to go for the annual inspection every year, and they will put a stamp on your vehicle registration.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes the process of the “年检 (niánjiǎn),” a mandatory part of car ownership in China.
• Example 4:
  • 这辆二手车的行驶证信息不全，我不建议你买。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liàng èrshǒuchē de xíngshǐzhèng xìnxī bù quán, wǒ bù jiànyì nǐ mǎi.
  • English: The information on this used car's vehicle registration is incomplete; I don't recommend you buy it.
  • Analysis: Shows the importance of the document in a major financial transaction like buying a car.
• Example 5:
  • A: 这是你的驾照吗？ B: 不，这不是驾照，这是车的行驶证。
  • Pinyin: A: Zhè shì nǐ de jiàzhào ma? B: Bù, zhè búshì jiàzhào, zhè shì chē de xíngshǐzhèng.
  • English: A: Is this your driver's license? B: No, this isn't a driver's license, this is the car's vehicle registration.
  • Analysis: A perfect conversational example explicitly highlighting the difference between 驾照 (jiàzhào - driver's license) and 行驶证.
• Example 6:
  • 如果你的行驶证丢了，必须马上去车管所补办。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ de xíngshǐzhèng diū le, bìxū mǎshàng qù chēguǎnsuǒ bǔbàn.
  • English: If you lose your vehicle registration, you must immediately go to the Vehicle Management Office to get a replacement.
  • Analysis: Introduces the term “车管所 (chēguǎnsuǒ),” the Chinese equivalent of the DMV/RMV.
• Example 7:
  • 他从手套箱里拿出了车辆的行驶证。
  • Pinyin: Tā cóng shǒutàoxiāng lǐ názhūle chēliàng de xíngshǐzhèng.
  • English: He took the vehicle's registration certificate out of the glove compartment.
  • Analysis: A simple, descriptive sentence showing where the document is typically kept.
• Example 8:
  • 办理保险理赔时，你需要提供行驶证的复印件。
  • Pinyin: Bànlǐ bǎoxiǎn lǐpéi shí, nǐ xūyào tígōng xíngshǐzhèng de fùyìnjiàn.
  • English: When handling an insurance claim, you need to provide a photocopy of the vehicle registration.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the document's use in another bureaucratic process.
• Example 9:
  • 行驶证上清楚地写着车主姓名和发动机号码。
  • Pinyin: Xíngshǐzhèng shàng qīngchǔ de xiězhe chēzhǔ xìngmíng hé fādòngjī hàomǎ.
  • English: The car owner's name and the engine number are clearly written on the vehicle registration.
  • Analysis: Details the specific kind of information found on the document.
• Example 10:
  • 卖车时，过户手续要求买卖双方都到场，并带上各自的身份证和车辆的行驶证。
  • Pinyin: Mài chē shí, guòhù shǒuxù yāoqiú mǎimài shuāngfāng dōu dàochǎng, bìng dài shàng gèzì de shēnfènzhèng hé chēliàng de xíngshǐzhèng.
  • English: When selling a car, the ownership transfer process requires both the buyer and seller to be present and bring their respective ID cards and the vehicle's registration certificate.
  • Analysis: A more complex sentence showing how the 行驶证 fits into a larger legal and financial process, interacting with other key documents like the 身份证 (shēnfènzhèng).

The single most common mistake is confusing 行驶证 with 驾驶证. This is a critical error for any learner.

• 行驶证 (xíngshǐzhèng): For the CAR. Think: the car 行 (xíng)s, or travels. It is the Vehicle Registration.
• 驾驶证 (jiàshǐzhèng): For the DRIVER. Think: the person 驾 (jià)s, or drives. It is the Driver's License.

Incorrect Usage:

• WRONG: 我昨天考试通过了，终于拿到了我的行驶证！ (Wǒ zuótiān kǎoshì tōngguò le, zhōngyú nádào le wǒ de xíngshǐzhèng!)
• Why it's wrong: This says “I passed my test yesterday and finally got my vehicle registration!” You don't take a test to get a vehicle registration; you take a test to get a driver's license.
• CORRECT: 我昨天考试通过了，终于拿到了我的驾驶证！ (Wǒ zuótiān kǎoshì tōngguò le, zhōngyú nádào le wǒ de jiàshǐzhèng!)

False Friend Nuance: While it's easy to think of 行驶证 as the “car title,” this isn't quite accurate. The 行驶证 is the document for proving on-road legality and must be in the car. The legal “title” that proves ultimate ownership is the 机动车登记证书 (jīdòngchē dēngjì zhèngshū), which is kept in a safe place. For a tourist or short-term driver, this distinction is minor. For anyone buying or selling a car in China, it's crucial.

• 驾驶证 (jiàshǐzhèng): The driver's license. The direct counterpart to the 行驶证; one is for the car, the other for the driver.
• 驾照 (jiàzhào): A very common and slightly more colloquial term for 驾驶证 (driver's license).
• 年检 (niánjiǎn): The mandatory annual vehicle inspection. You must present your 行驶证 to complete it.
• 车牌号 (chēpái hào): License plate number. This key piece of information is printed on the 行驶证.
• 交警 (jiāojǐng): Traffic police. They are the officials who will ask to see your 行驶证 during a traffic stop.
• 车管所 (chēguǎnsuǒ): The Vehicle Management Office, the government body (like the DMV) that issues and replaces the 行驶证.
• 违章 (wéizhāng): Traffic violation. Committing a violation will likely lead to an interaction where you need to show your 行驶证.
• 身份证 (shēnfènzhèng): National ID card. Another essential '证' (certificate), often required alongside the 行驶证 for official car-related business.
• 机动车登记证书 (jīdòngchē dēngjì zhèngshū): The “Vehicle Ownership Certificate.” This is the true “title” of the car, proving ownership, whereas the 行驶证 proves it's registered for road use.