qiān míng
signature; sign one’s name; autograph
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请在签名簿上签名。
Qǐng zài qiānmíng bù shàng qiānmíng.
Please sign the guestbook.
他的签名很漂亮。
Tā de qiānmíng hěn piàoliang.
His signature is very beautiful.
我不会签名。
Wǒ bù huì qiānmíng.
I don't know how to sign my name.
签字 (qiān zì)
signature
签署 (qiān shǔ)
sign
匿名 (nì míng)
anonymous
无名 (wú míng)
nameless
The Chinese word 签名 (qiānmíng) for "signature" is composed of two characters: 签 (qiān) and 名 (míng). The character 签 originally meant "a tally" or "a token", and was used as a way to verify identity or ownership. The character 名 originally meant "name" or "reputation", and was used to refer to a person's identity or social status. When combined, the two characters 签名 (qiānmíng) came to mean "signature", as it represents the act of putting one's name on a document or object as a way of verifying identity or ownership.
