bānfā: 颁发 - To Award, Issue, Confer

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• Summary: Learn the formal Chinese verb 颁发 (bānfā), which means to award, issue, or confer. This term is essential for understanding official situations like graduation ceremonies, award presentations, and the issuing of licenses. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage with many example sentences, helping you distinguish 颁发 (bānfā) from the more general verb for “to give,” and use it correctly to describe formal acts of recognition by an authority.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bānfā
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To formally award, issue, or confer something (like a medal, diploma, or official document).
• In a Nutshell: Imagine the principal on stage at a graduation ceremony. They don't just “give” you a diploma; they formally “award” or “confer” it. That formal, official, top-down action is 颁发 (bānfā). It always involves an authority (a school, government, company) presenting something of significance, usually in a public or ceremonial setting.

• 颁 (bān): To bestow, confer, or promulgate. The left side (分 fēn) means “to divide” or “distribute,” and the right side (页 yè) is a radical for “head.” You can think of it as an authority distributing (分) honors to people (heads 页).
• 发 (fā): A very common character meaning “to send out,” “to issue,” or “to emit.”
• The two characters combine to mean “to confer and send out,” creating a strong, formal word that signifies the official presentation of an award, certificate, or document from a higher authority to a recipient.

颁发 (bānfā) is more than just a verb; it reflects the cultural importance of ceremony, hierarchy, and public recognition in China. The act of “awarding” is often as significant as the award itself because it validates the achievement through an official, public ritual. Compare this to the general American/Western concept of “getting an award.” In the West, the focus is often on the individual's achievement (“I won!”). In a Chinese context, the act of 颁发 emphasizes the institution or authority that is bestowing the honor. The sentence structure often highlights this: “The School (subject) awarded (verb) the diploma (object) to the student.” This reinforces respect for the established authority—be it the government, a university, or a respected organization—and frames the achievement within a structured social framework. It's about receiving a formally sanctioned honor, not just winning a prize.

颁发 is used exclusively in formal contexts. You will hear and read it in news reports, at official events, and on official documents. It is not used in casual, everyday conversation for simple acts of giving.

• Formality: Strictly formal.
• Connotation: Neutral to positive. It describes a standard, official procedure.
• Common Contexts:
  • Academics: Schools and universities 颁发 diplomas (毕业证书), degrees (学位), and certificates (证书).
  • Awards: Organizations 颁发 medals (奖牌), prizes (奖金), and trophies (奖杯).
  • Government: Government agencies 颁发 licenses (执照), permits (许可证), and official commendations.
  • Business: A company might formally 颁发 an “Employee of the Year” award or a significant bonus.

• Example 1:
  • 校长将向优秀学生颁发奖学金。
  • Pinyin: Xiàozhǎng jiāng xiàng yōuxiù xuéshēng bānfā jiǎngxuéjīn.
  • English: The principal will award scholarships to the outstanding students.
  • Analysis: A classic example. The principal (authority) formally awards (颁发) scholarships (official honor). The structure `向 [person] 颁发 [item]` is very common.
• Example 2:
  • 奥运会组委会为冠军颁发了金牌。
  • Pinyin: Àoyùnhuì zǔwěihuì wèi guànjūn bānfāle jīnpái.
  • English: The Olympic Committee awarded the gold medal to the champion.
  • Analysis: This shows 颁发 used for a world-renowned honor. The committee is the authority, and the medal is the object of recognition.
• Example 3:
  • 政府已经开始颁发新的营业执照。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ yǐjīng kāishǐ bānfā xīn de yíngyè zhízhào.
  • English: The government has already started issuing the new business licenses.
  • Analysis: Here, 颁发 means “to issue” an official document. It's a formal, administrative act performed by a government body.
• Example 4:
  • 恭喜你！公司决定给你颁发“年度最佳员工”奖。
  • Pinyin: Gōngxǐ nǐ! Gōngsī juédìng gěi nǐ bānfā “niándù zuì jiā yuángōng” jiǎng.
  • English: Congratulations! The company decided to award you the “Employee of the Year” award.
  • Analysis: Used in a business context for a formal award. Note the structure `给 [person] 颁发 [award]`, which is also correct.
• Example 5:
  • 这个奖项每年只颁发给一位杰出的科学家。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jiǎngxiàng měi nián zhǐ bānfā gěi yí wèi jiéchū de kēxuéjiā.
  • English: This prize is awarded to only one outstanding scientist each year.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a passive-like structure. The focus is on the prize and who it is awarded to. `颁发给 (bānfā gěi)` is a common combination.
• Example 6:
  • 毕业典礼上，每位毕业生都将被颁发毕业证书。
  • Pinyin: Bìyè diǎnlǐ shàng, měi wèi bìyèshēng dōu jiāng bèi bānfā bìyè zhèngshū.
  • English: At the graduation ceremony, every graduate will be awarded a diploma.
  • Analysis: This example uses the passive marker `被 (bèi)` to emphasize the recipient of the action. This is very common in formal, written Chinese.
• Example 7:
  • 诺贝尔奖委员会在斯德哥尔摩颁发了物理学奖。
  • Pinyin: Nuòbèi'ěr jiǎng wěiyuánhuì zài Sīdégē'ěrmó bānfāle wùlǐxué jiǎng.
  • English: The Nobel Prize Committee awarded the Physics Prize in Stockholm.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates usage for internationally recognized awards, specifying the location of the ceremony with `在 (zài)`.
• Example 8:
  • 谁负责颁发本次比赛的奖杯？
  • Pinyin: Shéi fùzé bānfā běn cì bǐsài de jiǎngbēi?
  • English: Who is responsible for presenting the trophy for this competition?
  • Analysis: Shows how to use 颁发 in a question. `负责 (fùzé)` means “to be responsible for.”
• Example 9:
  • 他们因为英勇行为被颁发了荣誉勋章。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen yīnwèi yīngyǒng xíngwéi bèi bānfāle róngyù xūnzhāng.
  • English: They were awarded a medal of honor for their heroic actions.
  • Analysis: Another example of the passive voice with `被 (bèi)`, emphasizing why the honor was given (`因为…`).
• Example 10:
  • 大学将颁发荣誉博士学位给这位著名的慈善家。
  • Pinyin: Dàxué jiāng bānfā róngyù bóshì xuéwèi gěi zhè wèi zhùmíng de císhànjiā.
  • English: The university will confer an honorary doctorate upon this famous philanthropist.
  • Analysis: Here, 颁发 is best translated as “confer,” which is appropriate for academic degrees and titles.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 颁发 (bānfā) with the everyday word 给 (gěi).

• 颁发 (bānfā): Formal, top-down, for official honors/documents.
• 给 (gěi): “To give.” General purpose, used in all informal and most neutral situations.

Incorrect Usage:

• `我给你颁发一个生日礼物。` (Wǒ gěi nǐ bānfā yí ge shēngrì lǐwù.)
• Why it's wrong: This sentence means “I formally award you a birthday present.” It sounds strange and overly dramatic. A birthday gift is a casual, personal item.
• Correct: `我给你一个生日礼物。` (Wǒ gěi nǐ yí ge shēngrì lǐwù.) or `我送你一个生日礼物。` (Wǒ sòng nǐ yí ge shēngrì lǐwù.)

颁发 vs. 发 (fā): While 发 (fā) is part of 颁发, by itself it can mean “to issue” or “distribute” in a less ceremonial way.

• `老板下个星期发工资。` (Lǎobǎn xià ge xīngqī fā gōngzī.) - The boss will issue/pay salaries next week. (Correct. This is a routine distribution, not a ceremony).
• `老板给优秀员工颁发奖金。` (Lǎobǎn gěi yōuxiù yuángōng bānfā jiǎngjīn.) - The boss awards a bonus to the outstanding employee. (Correct. This is a special, formal recognition).

• 授予 (shòuyǔ) - To confer, to award. A very close synonym of 颁发, often used for titles, ranks, and degrees. It can feel even more formal.
• 颁布 (bānbù) - To promulgate, to issue, to announce. Used specifically for laws, decrees, and regulations. Shares the character `颁` but applies to legal texts, not awards.
• 发奖 (fājiǎng) - To give out an award. This is a verb-object phrase (发+奖) and is slightly more colloquial than the single word 颁发.
• 证书 (zhèngshū) - Certificate, diploma. An object that is commonly 颁发-ed.
• 奖状 (jiǎngzhuàng) - Certificate of merit. A specific type of certificate awarded for achievement.
• 奖牌 (jiǎngpái) - Medal. Another object that is 颁发-ed.
• 执照 (zhízhào) - License, permit. An official document that is 颁发-ed by the government.
• 荣誉 (róngyù) - Honor, glory. The abstract concept behind the act of 颁发.
• 给 (gěi) - To give. The general, all-purpose antonym in terms of formality.