Road Signs, Markings and Traffic Signals (交通标志、标线与信号)
This domain is recognition plus priority. Two question families dominate: what does this mean, and what must you do here. Learn the colour-and-shape system and most unknown signs can be decoded in the exam hall.
Sign families
- Warning (警告标志): yellow ground, black border and black symbol, equilateral triangle.
- Prohibitory (禁令标志): white ground, red ring, circular - except STOP (red octagon) and Give Way (inverted triangle).
- Mandatory (指示标志): blue ground, white symbol, circle or rectangle.
- Guide (指路标志): blue ground, or green on expressways.
- Tourist: brown ground. Supplementary plates: white with black text.
Markings
- White dashed line: may cross. White solid line: do not cross. Yellow solid or double yellow: do not cross into the opposing direction. Yellow dashed: temporary crossing permitted when safe.
- Hatched chevron areas (导流线) and yellow box junctions (网状线) must not be entered or stopped on.
- Know the stop line, the pedestrian crossing, and the edge line marking the expressway hard shoulder.
Signals
Red means stop; green means go only if your exit is clear; a flashing yellow means proceed with caution. A red arrow binds the direction it points to. When a police officer's signals conflict with lights or markings, obey the officer.
Worked example
A two-way road has a double yellow centre line, and the line nearest you is dashed. May you U-turn? Yes - the dashed section on your side permits crossing when it is safe and no sign forbids it. If both lines were solid, or a no U-turn sign were present, the answer would be no. Note that the permission is conditional: you must still check mirrors, blind spot and oncoming traffic.
Traps
- Reading a blue circle as a warning sign.
- Treating a yellow dashed line as no crossing.
- Turning right on red where a red arrow, a no-right-turn sign or a lane signal forbids it.
- Ignoring the officer because the light is green.
- Confusing the hatched area with a waiting area.