P'ai-Tzu
/ˈpaɪ ˌtsuː/noun
A Chinese tablet, badge, or document used historically as a pass or sign of authority.
Did you know?In Mongol-ruled China, official paizi could authorize envoys to obtain horses, lodging, and provisions, making the object a physical symbol of state power.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
牌
“A tablet, plaque, sign, or token; originally associated with a flat wooden object.”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
牌子
“A sign, tablet, label, or token; literally a 牌 used as an identifying marker.”
Middle Chinese
Chinese
牌子
“A tablet or identifying sign, pronounced in the historical Chinese sound system.”
13th–14th Century
Mongolian-era Chinese
paizi
“An official tablet or badge granting its bearer authorization and privileges during the Yuan period.”
19th Century
English
p'ai-tzu
“An English scholarly transcription of the Chinese term for such a tablet, badge, or pass.”
Modern English
English
paizi
“A historical Chinese tablet or badge of authorization, also spelled p'ai-tzu in older romanization.”
Explore more surprising origins