dēngjì biǎo: 登记表 - Registration Form, Sign-up Sheet

• Keywords: 登记表, dengji biao, Chinese registration form, sign-up sheet in Chinese, fill out a form in Chinese, hotel registration form, event sign-up, how to say form in Chinese, 登记, 报名表, 表格.
• Summary: Learn about the essential Chinese term 登记表 (dēngjì biǎo), which means “registration form” or “sign-up sheet.” This comprehensive guide covers everything a beginner needs to know, from filling out a 登记表 at a hotel in China to signing up for events online. Understand the cultural importance of formal registration and see practical examples, character breakdowns, and related vocabulary like 报名表 (bàomíng biǎo) to help you navigate daily administrative tasks in China with confidence.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dēngjì biǎo
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A printed or digital document with spaces used to enter data for official registration.
• In a Nutshell: A 登记表 (dēngjì biǎo) is the standard, all-purpose “form” for any kind of official registration. Think of it as the physical or digital paper you need to fill out whenever you check into a hotel, visit a hospital, join a gym, or sign up for a conference. It's a very common and practical word that represents the act of formally recording your information in a structured way.

• 登 (dēng): Originally depicting feet climbing steps, this character means “to ascend,” “to climb,” or in a modern context, “to log in / register.” Think of “logging in” to a website or “boarding” a plane—you are officially entering a system or space.
• 记 (jì): This character means “to record,” “to note down,” or “to remember.” It combines the “speech” radical (言) with “self” (己), suggesting the act of recording one's own words or information.
• 表 (biǎo): This character means “a table,” “a chart,” or “a form.” It represents a structured way of presenting information on the surface (its other meaning is “surface” or “outside”).

When combined, 登 (dēng) + 记 (jì) + 表 (biǎo) literally means “a form for recording one's registration,” a perfect description of its function.

While a “registration form” might seem like a mundane universal concept, the prevalence and importance of the 登记表 (dēngjì biǎo) in China are noteworthy. They reflect a society that places a high value on official records, documentation, and formal procedures. This is rooted in systems like the household registration (`户口, hùkǒu`) and has expanded into modern life with the real-name registration (`实名制, shímíngzhì`) required for everything from buying a SIM card to booking a train ticket. Compared to the West, where filling out a form is often a casual administrative step, the act of completing a 登记表 in China can feel more significant. It's often the first formal step to being recognized by an organization, whether it's a hotel, a company, or a government office. For a foreigner, successfully navigating a 登记表 (like the `临时住宿登记表, línshí zhùsù dēngjì biǎo` for temporary residence) is a key and empowering skill for integrating into the country's administrative fabric. It represents a formal entry into a system, rather than just a casual sign-up.

The 登记表 is a ubiquitous part of daily life in China. It is a neutral to formal term used in many situations.

• At Hotels: This is the most common scenario for travelers. The front desk will ask you to fill out an `入住登记表 (rùzhù dēngjì biǎo)` or “check-in form.”
• Official Procedures: When visiting a government office, a bank, a police station, or a hospital for the first time, you will almost certainly need to fill out a 登记表 to create a record.
• Visitor Management: Entering a corporate office building or a gated community often requires signing a `访客登记表 (fǎngkè dēngjì biǎo)` or “visitor registration form.”
• Events and Memberships: Signing up for a conference, a gym membership, or a library card will involve a 登记表.
• Digital Forms: The term has seamlessly transitioned to the digital world. Online sign-up pages are often called `电子登记表 (diànzǐ dēngjì biǎo)` or simply 登记表.

• Example 1:
  • 您好，请填一下这张登记表。
  • Pinyin: Nín hǎo, qǐng tián yīxià zhè zhāng dēngjì biǎo.
  • English: Hello, please fill out this registration form.
  • Analysis: A classic and polite phrase you will hear at any front desk (hotel, hospital, office). `填 (tián)` means “to fill in.”
• Example 2:
  • 我需要一个登记表来报名参加这个活动。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào yī ge dēngjì biǎo lái bàomíng cānjiā zhège huódòng.
  • English: I need a registration form to sign up for this event.
  • Analysis: This shows how 登记表 is used when you are proactively asking for the form. Note the use of `报名 (bàomíng)` - to sign up.
• Example 3:
  • 对不起，我看不懂中文，你可以帮我填登记表吗？
  • Pinyin: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ kàn bù dǒng Zhōngwén, nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ tián dēngjì biǎo ma?
  • English: Sorry, I can't read Chinese, could you help me fill out the registration form?
  • Analysis: A very useful sentence for foreigners. It's a polite way to ask for assistance.
• Example 4:
  • 登记表上要求填写护照号码和签证类型。
  • Pinyin: Dēngjì biǎo shàng yāoqiú tiánxiě hùzhào hàomǎ hé qiānzhèng lèixíng.
  • English: The registration form requires you to fill in your passport number and visa type.
  • Analysis: `…上 (shàng)` means “on the…” and `要求 (yāoqiú)` means “to require.” This sentence specifies the information needed.
• Example 5:
  • 请在登记表的底部签名。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng zài dēngjì biǎo de dǐbù qiānmíng.
  • English: Please sign at the bottom of the registration form.
  • Analysis: `底部 (dǐbù)` means “bottom part” and `签名 (qiānmíng)` is the verb “to sign one's name.”
• Example 6:
  • 每个进入大楼的访客都必须填写访客登记表。
  • Pinyin: Měi ge jìnrù dàlóu de fǎngkè dōu bìxū tiánxiě fǎngkè dēngjì biǎo.
  • English: Every visitor who enters the building must fill out a visitor registration form.
  • Analysis: `访客 (fǎngkè)` means “visitor.” This shows a more specific type of registration form. `必须 (bìxū)` means “must.”
• Example 7:
  • 我们可以在网上找到电子登记表并提前提交。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen kěyǐ zài wǎngshàng zhǎodào diànzǐ dēngjì biǎo bìng tíqián tíjiāo.
  • English: We can find the electronic registration form online and submit it in advance.
  • Analysis: Shows the modern usage of the term. `电子 (diànzǐ)` means “electronic” and `提前 (tíqián)` means “in advance.”
• Example 8:
  • 这张登记表的信息不完整，您漏掉了一些项目。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhāng dēngjì biǎo de xìnxī bù wánzhěng, nín lòudiào le yīxiē xiàngmù.
  • English: The information on this registration form is incomplete; you missed a few items.
  • Analysis: A common issue when filling out forms. `不完整 (bù wánzhěng)` means “incomplete” and `漏掉 (lòudiào)` means “to miss” or “to leave out.”
• Example 9:
  • 为了安全，我们需要您在登记表上提供紧急联系人信息。
  • Pinyin: Wèile ānquán, wǒmen xūyào nín zài dēngjì biǎo shàng tígōng jǐnjí liánxìrén xìnxī.
  • English: For safety purposes, we need you to provide emergency contact information on the registration form.
  • Analysis: A good example of the justification for collecting personal data. `紧急联系人 (jǐnjí liánxìrén)` is “emergency contact.”
• Example 10:
  • 办理会员卡的第一步就是填写这张登记表。
  • Pinyin: Bànlǐ huìyuánkǎ de dì-yī bù jiùshì tiánxiě zhè zhāng dēngjì biǎo.
  • English: The first step to getting a membership card is to fill out this registration form.
  • Analysis: `办理 (bànlǐ)` is a key verb for “to process” or “to handle” official applications. `会员卡 (huìyuánkǎ)` is “membership card.”

• 登记表 (dēngjì biǎo) vs. 报名表 (bàomíng biǎo): This is the most common point of confusion.
  • 登记表 is for *registering* your information or presence (e.g., hotel check-in, visitor log). It is about recording facts.
  • 报名表 (bàomíng biǎo) is specifically for *enrolling* or *signing up* for an activity with limited spots (e.g., a competition, a university course, a marathon). It implies a desire to participate or be selected. While they sometimes overlap, 报名表 has a stronger sense of “application to join.”
• 登记表 (dēngjì biǎo) vs. 表格 (biǎogé):
  • 表格 (biǎogé) is the general, umbrella term for any kind of form, table, or chart, including a spreadsheet.
  • 登记表 is a *specific type* of `表格`. It's like the difference between “vehicle” (`表格`) and “sedan” (`登记表`). All 登记表 are 表格, but not all 表格 are 登记表.
  • Incorrect: “请给我一张表格来登记。” (Please give me a form to register.) While understandable, it's less precise.
  • Correct: “请给我一张登记表。” (Please give me a registration form.)
• False Friends: Do not confuse `表 (biǎo)` in this context with its other meanings. A 登记表 is not a watch (`手表, shǒubiǎo`) or a meter (`电表, diànbiǎo`). The context of registering or filling something in makes the meaning clear.

• 表格 (biǎogé) - The general term for any “form,” “table,” or “chart.” 登记表 is a type of 表格.
• 报名表 (bàomíng biǎo) - An “application/enrollment form,” used specifically for signing up to participate in an event, class, or competition.
• 申请表 (shēnqǐng biǎo) - An “application form,” typically for more formal requests like a visa, a loan, a job, or university admission.
• 登记 (dēngjì) - The verb “to register.” You `登记` your information on a `登记表`.
• 填写 (tiánxiě) - The most common verb meaning “to fill in” or “to fill out” a form.
• 入住登记表 (rùzhù dēngjì biǎo) - A specific “check-in registration form” used at hotels.
• 个人信息 (gèrén xìnxī) - “Personal information,” the data you write on a 登记表.
• 签名 (qiānmíng) - “Signature; to sign.” Almost always required at the end of a form.
• 身份证 (shēnfènzhèng) - “ID card.” The primary identification document for Chinese citizens, often required for registration.
• 护照 (hùzhào) - “Passport.” The primary identification for foreigners when filling out a 登记表.