Fluentide
HSK 3

护照

passport

nounneutral1 episode
4th tone
zhào4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
hùzhào
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
20
Register
neutral
Measure word
本 / 个
In episodes
1

Stroke order for 护照

护照 is written with 20 strokes (: 7, : 13). The animation replays automatically.

What does 护照 mean?

护照 (hùzhào) is the travel document issued by your country's government that lets you cross international borders — a passport.

Literally 'protect-certificate,' the name captures its dual purpose: an ID that proves who you are and a guarantee of safe passage. Two practical notes for English speakers: first, the proper measure word is (běn, used for booklets), so 一本护照, not 一个护照, sounds more polished; second, 护照 collocates with specific verbs that don't always match English — 办护照 (to apply for / get a passport made, not 'make'), 换护照 (to renew, literally 'exchange'), and 丢护照 (to lose). Travel-related vocabulary like 签证 (visa), 海关 (customs), and 机场 (airport) cluster around 护照 and are worth learning together.

Character by character

to protect; to guard
+
zhàocertificate; license; to shine
=
护照

Memory hook: 护 (protect) + 照 (certificate) — the document that protects you while traveling.

Hear 护照 in real episodes

护照 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed. Each sentence plays at the easiest difficulty it exists in — switch it to hear the same moment at your level, with full pinyin and English throughout.

你要有护照,因为你要出国。

You have to have a passport, because you will be leaving the country.

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Difficulty
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Example sentences

请给我看一下你的护照。

Qǐng gěi wǒ kàn yíxià nǐ de hùzhào.

Please let me see your passport.

polite, spoken

我下个月去办护照。

Wǒ xià ge yuè qù bàn hùzhào.

I'm going to apply for a passport next month.

neutral

出国一定要带护照。

Chū guó yídìng yào dài hùzhào.

You must bring your passport when going abroad.

neutral

他的护照下个月就过期了。

Tā de hùzhào xià ge yuè jiù guòqī le.

His passport expires next month.

neutral

Common phrases with 护照

办护照bàn hùzhàoto apply for a passport
换护照huàn hùzhàoto renew a passport
丢了护照diūle hùzhàolost (one's) passport
护照号码hùzhào hàomǎpassport number
中国护照Zhōngguó hùzhàoChinese passport

Synonyms

通行证tōngxíngzhèng

通行证 is a generic 'pass / permit' for crossing a border or restricted area — like the Hong Kong-Macau permit Mainlanders use (港澳通行证). 护照 is specifically the international travel document used between countries.

Don't confuse 护照 with

签证qiānzhèng

签证 is a visa — the stamp/sticker in your passport letting you enter a specific country. 护照 is the booklet itself. You need both: the 护照 is yours forever; the 签证 is for one trip.

身份证shēnfènzhèng

身份证 is a domestic ID card (Chinese citizens use it inside China). 护照 is for international travel. Different documents, different purposes.

驾照jiàzhào

Same character, but 驾照 is a driver's license. 护照 lets you travel internationally; 驾照 lets you drive.

FAQ

Related words from the same episodes

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