The word 身份证 (shēnfènzhèng), meaning "identification card", is formed by combining three meaningful characters: 身 (shēn) meaning "body" or "self", 份 (fèn) meaning "portion" or "status", and 证 (zhèng) meaning "certificate" or "proof". It is constructed conceptually by sequentially moving from the individual person (身), to their specific identity or status (份), and finally to the official document that certifies that identity (证), thus creating the complete idea of a certificate that proves one's personal identity.