报名
to sign up; to register; to enroll
bàomíng
What does 报名 mean?
报名 (bàomíng) is a verb meaning 'to sign up, register, or enroll' — to put your name down to take part in a class, exam, competition, activity, or event. Literally 'report (报) one's name (名),' it is a separable verb, so a measure of time or object can split it: 报了名 (signed up), 报什么名 (sign up for what). This separability trips up English speakers who treat it as one solid word.
Use the preposition 参加 or the pattern 报名参加 to say what you are signing up for: 报名参加考试 (sign up to take the exam). Unlike English 'register,' which can mean to record data (register a birth), 报名 is specifically about voluntarily entering yourself into something you will participate in.
Note: Neutral, everyday word for signing up for classes, exams, contests, or events. It is a separable verb.
Character breakdown
to report; to announce; to submit
name
Memory hook: To 'submit' (报) your 'name' (名) — that's signing yourself up.
Example sentences
我想报名参加这个比赛。
Wǒ xiǎng bàomíng cānjiā zhège bǐsài.
I'd like to sign up for this competition.
spoken
报名时间是下个星期。
Bàomíng shíjiān shì xià ge xīngqī.
The registration period is next week.
neutral
他已经报了名，准备考试。
Tā yǐjīng bào le míng, zhǔnbèi kǎoshì.
He has already signed up and is preparing for the exam.
neutral
现在很多课程都可以在网上报名。
Xiànzài hěn duō kèchéng dōu kěyǐ zài wǎngshàng bàomíng.
Nowadays you can register for many courses online.
written
Common phrases with 报名
Synonyms
注册 means 'to register' in the sense of creating an official account or record (register on a website, register as a student). 报名 is signing up to participate in a specific event or course. You 注册 an account, then 报名 for a class.
登记 means 'to register/record' your information in an official log (登记结婚, 登记信息). 报名 is specifically putting your name down to join an activity; 登记 is recording data for the record.
Don't confuse 报名 with
FAQ
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