Chinese PSA Vocab Words

禁止

jìnzhǐ — to prohibit, to forbid → HOW TO USE: 禁止 + verb on signs = "No ___." 禁止吸烟 No smoking; 禁止停车 No parking. Official and strong, much stronger than 不要.

请勿

qǐngwù — please do not (formal, written) → HOW TO USE: 请勿 + verb on signs. 请勿拍照 No photos please; 请勿吸烟 Please don't smoke. 勿 is the classical word for 不要, so this is the polite version of 禁止.

违章

wéizhāng — to break the rules / violate regulations (esp. traffic) → HOW TO USE: Mostly used for traffic violations. 违章停车 = illegal parking. Often appears on signs together with 抓拍.

抓拍

zhuāpāi — to catch on camera, to snap a photo of (esp. by traffic camera) → HOW TO USE: Common on traffic signs: 违章停车，抓拍 = "Illegal parking will be caught on camera." 抓 grab + 拍 photograph.

免

miǎn — to be exempt from; to avoid; free of → HOW TO USE: 免费 = free of charge. On signs it can mean "not allowed": 闲人免进 = Staff only (literally "idle people are exempt from entering").

当心

dāngxīn — watch out, be careful → HOW TO USE: Common on warning signs: 当心 + danger. 当心滑倒 Caution: slippery; 当心车辆 Watch for cars. Same idea as 小心 but more sign-like.

小心

xiǎoxīn — careful; to be careful → HOW TO USE: Spoken and written. 小心！ Careful!; 小心地滑 Caution: wet floor.

即

jí — namely, that is (= 就是); immediately (formal) → HOW TO USE: Formal written word. 元旦，即一月一日 = New Year's Day, that is, January 1. 即日起 = starting today.

遵守

zūnshǒu — to obey, to abide by, to follow (rules) → HOW TO USE: 遵守 + rules/laws: 遵守交通规则 obey traffic rules; 遵守规定 follow the regulations.

规则

guīzé — rule(s) → HOW TO USE: Rules of a game or system: 交通规则 traffic rules; 比赛规则 competition rules. Compare 规定 (official regulations set by an authority).

此

cǐ — this; here (formal/written version of 这) → HOW TO USE: Appears in fixed phrases on signs: 此处 this spot/here; 在此 here; 由此进 enter here.

本

běn — this; our (formal: the one speaking) → HOW TO USE: 本 + place/time = "this/our": 本校 this (our) school; 本店 our store; 本周 this week. (Also the measure word for books.)

处

chù — place, spot; office/department → HOW TO USE: Noun + 处: 此处 this spot; 停车处 parking area; 服务处 service desk. (Pronounced chǔ in 处理, a different word.)

区

qū — area, zone, district → HOW TO USE: Noun + 区: 停车区 parking zone; 禁烟区 no-smoking area; 小区 residential neighborhood.

者

zhě — person who…; the "-er" suffix → HOW TO USE: Verb + 者 = person who does it. 违者 = violators (on signs: 违者罚款 violators will be fined); 志愿者 volunteer; 记者 reporter.

公告

gōnggào — public notice, announcement → HOW TO USE: The title on official notices (posted on walls or websites).

届时

jièshí — when the time comes, at that time (formal) → HOW TO USE: Formal version of 到时候, used in notices: 届时请准时参加 = Please arrive on time then.

原定于

yuándìng yú — originally scheduled for → HOW TO USE: 原 original + 定 set + 于 at. Followed by a time or place: 比赛原定于十月一日举行 = The competition was originally set for Oct 1. Usually followed by news of a change (延期, 取消, 改成).

延期

yánqī — to postpone, to delay, to extend (a deadline) → HOW TO USE: 活动延期了 The event was postponed; 延期到下周 postponed until next week.

互相转告

hùxiāng zhuǎngào — to pass the message on to one another → HOW TO USE: Set phrase at the end of notices: 请互相转告 = Please spread the word.

更改

gēnggǎi — to change, to alter (formal) → HOW TO USE: Formal version of 改. 更改时间 change the time; 地点有所更改 the location has changed.

改成

gǎichéng — to change into, to switch to → HOW TO USE: 把 A 改成 B = change A to B. 把时间改成下午三点 = change the time to 3 pm. (成 is the result complement, as in 变成.)

取消

qǔxiāo — to cancel → HOW TO USE: 活动取消了 The event was canceled; 取消比赛 cancel the competition.

规定

guīdìng — regulation; to stipulate, to require → HOW TO USE: Both noun and verb. 学校规定… = school regulations say…; 遵守规定 follow the regulations. Official requirements; compare 规则 (rules of a game or system).

停车

tíngchē — to park; to stop a vehicle → HOW TO USE: 停车场 parking lot; 禁止停车 No parking; 违章停车 illegal parking.