What is the license plate prefix for motor vehicles in Hubei?
3 Answers
Hubei motor vehicle license plates start with the character 'E' (short for Hubei in Chinese). The license plate codes for cities in Hubei are as follows: E·A is Wuhan, E·B is Huangshi, E·C is Shiyan, E·D is Jingzhou, E·E is Yichang, E·F is Xiangyang, E·G is Ezhou, E·H is Jingmen, E·J is Huanggang, E·K is Xiaogan, E·L is Xianning, E·M is the directly-administered county-level city of Xiantao, E·N is the directly-administered county-level city of Qianjiang, E·P is the directly-administered Shennongjia Forestry District, E·Q is Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, E·R is the directly-administered county-level city of Tianmen, and E·S is Suizhou. The first character of a license plate represents the abbreviation of the province, and the second character is an English letter representing the prefecture-level administrative division where the vehicle is registered, generally corresponding to the letter codes of prefecture-level cities, regions, autonomous prefectures, or leagues.
I often drive on highways and come across many vehicles from Hubei, remembering that their license plates all start with “E”. For instance, I once saw a license plate with “E A” at a service area, which is the mark for Wuhan. China's license plate system uses provincial abbreviations, making it concise and clear. Hubei’s abbreviation “E” is quite classic, while other provinces like Guangdong use “Yue” and Beijing uses “Jing”. Recognizing the origin of license plates while driving is quite practical, as it helps in understanding the vehicle’s background. I recommend that new drivers pay more attention to these details, as it can contribute to driving safety.
I have a research interest in license plate history. The license plates in Hubei start with 'E', derived from the ancient provincial name. 'E' as the abbreviation for Hubei is quite traditional, and modern license plates have been using it for decades. Just like 'E' represents Hubei, 'Chuan' stands for Sichuan. This system is highly efficient, avoiding lengthy identifiers. The letters on the plates distinguish cities, for example, 'E A' is Wuhan, 'E B' is Huangshi. I often pay attention to these details when studying documents.
