time-honoured brand (laozihao)
'old trade-name'; long-established brand
Definition#
Chinese term for a long-established business or brand with inherited products or techniques. The official title 中华老字号 ('China Time-honored Brand') is conferred by the Ministry of Commerce. English Wikipedia gives the criteria as an enterprise that existed before 1956, with traditional products, techniques or services passed down through generations and wide recognition, says the current criteria were set in 2006 and that about 1,000 brands hold the title; Chinese Wikipedia says the first selection was made in 1991 by the then Ministry of Domestic Trade and that the Ministry of Commerce planned in 2006 to certify 1,000 brands. A Japanese guide gives about 1,129 certified shops and brands as of December 2015. A tea example on the English page is the Beijing teahouse Zhang Yiyuan (张一元). The word is also used loosely by sellers, so a claim should be checked against the Ministry's list. Not a quality grade.
Translation and usage#
| Language | Use | Alternatives & cautions |
|---|---|---|
| English | time-honoured brand (laozihao) long-established brand; officially 中华老字号 China Time-honored Brand |
Also acceptable
Avoid heritage brand (as a certificate) the official title is a Ministry of Commerce designation '老字号' as proof of quality it dates the firm, not the batch |
| Deutsch | Traditionsmarke (Laozihao) traditionsreiches chinesisches Unternehmen oder Markenzeichen |
Also acceptable
|
| Русский | лао цзыхао (бренд с давней историей) торговая марка или предприятие с давней историей |
Also acceptable
Avoid старейший бренд «старейший» means 'oldest' (superlative); 老字号 means a long-established brand, not the oldest |
| 简体字 | 老字号 | |
| 繁體字 | 老字號 | Regional usage
|
| 日本語 | 老字号（ラオズハオ） 中国商務部が認定する歴史ある店・ブランド（老舗に相当） |
Also acceptable
|
Common confusions#
- Official title (Ministry of Commerce list) versus loose seller use.
- Firm age, not batch age or quality; unrelated to 老茶 (aged tea) and 老树 (old trees).