Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 文憑 / 文凭 | wénpíng |
| 證書 / 证书 | zhèngshū |
| 畢業證書 / 毕业证书 | bìyè zhèngshū |
While 文憑 / 文凭 refers to a diploma, you may encounter other specific terms. In a university setting, the term 学位证书 (xué wèi zhèng shū) is used for an academic diploma. The term 畢業證書 (bì yè zhèng shū) specifically refers to a graduation certificate or diploma.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 文憑 / 文凭 is composed of 文 (culture/writing) and 憑 (proof/evidence). The term 畢業證書 / 毕业证书 is composed of 畢業 (to graduate) and 證書 (certificate).
Which one should you use?
文憑 / 文凭 is a more formal term often used in academic contexts to refer to a diploma or degree. In contrast, 證書 / 证书 is a broad, general term that can refer to any kind of certificate, such as a training certificate or a professional certification. For the most common way to specifically refer to a diploma that proves one has graduated from a school or university, use 畢業證書 / 毕业证书.
How do you pronounce it?
wénpíng
Did you know?
- In mainland China, the 畢業證書 / 毕业证书 and the 学位证书 / 学位证书 are often two separate documents. One proves you completed the coursework and the other proves you earned the academic degree.
- In many Chinese-speaking regions, if you ask for a 'diploma' using only the word 文憑 / 文凭, people might assume you are talking about an overseas qualification rather than a local degree.
- The term 畢業 / 毕业 (to graduate) is composed of 'finish' and 'depart', capturing the ancient idea that graduation is the formal act of 'departing' from a place of learning.
Examples in context
- 我得到了我的学位证书。(Wǒ dé dào le wǒ de xué wèi zhèng shū.)I obtained my academic diploma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “diploma” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
