护照

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 护照 (hùzhào) for "passport" is composed of two characters: 护 (hù) and 照 (zhào). The character 护 (hù) means "to protect" or "to guard", while the character 照 (zhào) means "to shine" or "to illuminate". Together, the two characters 护照 (hùzhào) can be interpreted as "a document that protects and illuminates the holder's identity and travel rights".The word 护照 (hùzhào) has been used in Chinese for centuries to refer to a document that allows a person to travel to and from foreign countries. In the early days, 护照 (hùzhào) were issued by the imperial government and were only available to a select few, such as government officials and merchants. However, as travel became more common in the 20th century, 护照 (hùzhào) became more widely available and are now required for all Chinese citizens traveling abroad.The word 护照 (hùzhào) is also used in other languages to refer to a passport. For example, in Japanese, the word is pronounced "hosho" and in Korean, it is pronounced "hojo". The word "passport" itself is derived from the Old French word "passeport", which was originally used to refer to a document that allowed a person to pass through a city gate.