车牌

The Chinese word 车牌 (chēpái) for "license plate" is composed of two characters: 车 (chē) meaning "vehicle" and 牌 (pái) meaning "plate" or "sign". The term 车牌 is used to refer to the metal or plastic plate attached to the front and rear of a vehicle, which displays the vehicle's registration number and other relevant information.The character 车 (chē) has a long history in Chinese, dating back to the oracle bone script of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). The original form of the character depicted a simple two-wheeled cart, and it has evolved over time to its current form. The character 牌 (pái) also has a long history, and it was originally used to refer to a piece of wood or bamboo that was used as a tally or token. Over time, the meaning of the character expanded to include other types of plates or signs, and it is now commonly used to refer to license plates.The combination of the characters 车 and 牌 to form the word 车牌 is a natural and logical one, as it clearly indicates the purpose of the plate: to identify and register a vehicle. The term 车牌 is widely used in China and is easily recognizable by both native speakers and learners of Chinese.