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OneDotDot Chinese · Vocabulary

Intellectual Property Vocabulary in Chinese

知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán词汇cíhuì

Essential intellectual property vocabulary in Chinese, covering the basics, copyright, patents and trademarks, and infringement and licensing — the terms that come up most often in tech, publishing, and product work. Tap the speaker icon to hear anything read aloud.

FAQ

Why Do Taiwan and China Use Different Words for “Intellectual Property”?

Like 合約héyuē合约héyuē vs. 合同hétong合同hétong for “contract,” this is a genuine word-choice split, not a script one. Taiwan says 智慧zhìhuì財產權cáichǎnquán智慧zhìhuì财产权cáichǎnquán — literally “wisdom property rights” — while mainland China says 知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán知识zhīshi产权chǎnquán — “knowledge property rights.” Both get shortened in casual speech, to 智財權zhìcáiquán智财权zhìcáiquán in Taiwan and 知產權zhīchǎnquán知产权zhīchǎnquán in China — which is why the vocabulary below pairs 智慧財產權 with 知識產權 rather than a script-only conversion.

IP Basics Vocabulary

知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán基本jīběn词汇cíhuì

知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán intellectual property

知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán法fǎIP law

这家zhèjiā公司gōngsī非常fēicháng重视zhòngshì知識zhīshi產權chǎnquán

This company places great importance on intellectual property.

专利zhuānlì patent

發明fāmíng專利zhuānlì发明fāmíng专利zhuānlìinvention patent
專利zhuānlì申請shēnqǐng专利zhuānlì申请shēnqǐngpatent application

他tā为wèi这项zhèxiàng发明fāmíng申请了shēnqǐngle专利zhuānlì

He filed a patent for this invention.

商标shāngbiāo trademark

註冊zhùcè商標shāngbiāo注册zhùcè商标shāngbiāoregistered trademark

这个zhège商标shāngbiāo已经yǐjīng注册zhùcè了le

This trademark has already been registered.

Copyright Vocabulary

著作權zhùzuòquán詞彙cíhuì著作权zhùzuòquán词汇cíhuì

著作权zhùzuòquán copyright

著作權zhùzuòquán法fǎ著作权zhùzuòquán法fǎcopyright law

未经wèijīng授权shòuquán使用shǐyòng这张zhèzhāng照片zhàopiàn会huì侵犯qīnfàn著作权zhùzuòquán

Using this photo without authorization would infringe copyright.

版权bǎnquán copyright (colloquial)

版權bǎnquán所有suǒyǒu版权bǎnquán所有suǒyǒuall rights reserved

这本zhèběn书shū的de版权bǎnquán属于shǔyú出版社chūbǎnshè

The copyright of this book belongs to the publisher.

著作權/著作权 is the formal legal term used in both Taiwan and China’s copyright statutes. 版權/版权 is the everyday, colloquial word — you’ll see it on book jackets and website footers far more often than in a courtroom.

注册zhùcè to register

註冊zhùcè費fèi注册zhùcè费fèiregistration fee

商标shāngbiāo注册zhùcè大概dàgài需要xūyào一年yìnián时间shíjiān

Trademark registration takes about a year.

Patent & Trademark Vocabulary

专利zhuānlì与yǔ商标shāngbiāo词汇cíhuì

专利权zhuānlìquán patent rights

專利權zhuānlìquán人rén专利权zhuānlìquán人rénpatent holder

专利权zhuānlìquán的de保护期bǎohùqī是shì二十年èrshínián

Patent rights are protected for twenty years.

商标权shāngbiāoquán trademark rights

商標權shāngbiāoquán侵害qīnhài商标权shāngbiāoquán侵害qīnhàitrademark infringement

公司gōngsī决定juédìng捍卫hànwèi自己zìjǐ的de商标权shāngbiāoquán

The company decided to defend its trademark rights.

申请shēnqǐng to apply / file

申請shēnqǐng人rén申请shēnqǐng人rénapplicant

我们wǒmen正在zhèngzài申请shēnqǐng这项zhèxiàng专利zhuānlì

We are applying for this patent.

Infringement & Licensing Vocabulary

侵权qīnquán与yǔ授权shòuquán词汇cíhuì

侵权qīnquán infringement

侵權qīnquán行為xíngwéi侵权qīnquán行为xíngwéiinfringing act

这家zhèjiā公司gōngsī被告bèigào侵权qīnquán

This company was sued for infringement.

授权shòuquán to license / authorize

授權shòuquán書shū授权shòuquán书shūletter of authorization

我们wǒmen已经yǐjīng取得qǔdé原厂yuánchǎng授权shòuquán

We have already obtained authorization from the original manufacturer.

商业shāngyè秘密mìmì trade secret

泄露xièlù商业shāngyè秘密mìmìleaking trade secrets

员工yuángōng签了qiānle保密bǎomì协议xiéyì以yǐ保护bǎohù商业shāngyè秘密mìmì

Employees signed confidentiality agreements to protect trade secrets.

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intellectual property Chinese vocabulary