Where is the license plate number 'Su' from?
2 Answers
Su is the license plate abbreviation for Jiangsu Province. The abbreviations for cities in Jiangsu are as follows: SuA for Nanjing, SuB for Wuxi, SuC for Xuzhou, SuD for Changzhou, SuE for Suzhou, SuF for Nantong, SuG for Lianyungang, SuH for Huai'an, SuJ for Yancheng, SuK for Yangzhou, SuL for Zhenjiang, SuM for Taizhou, and SuN for Suqian. A license plate number is an identifier for a vehicle, much like an ID number is to a person. The first Chinese character on a license plate represents the abbreviation of the province where the vehicle is registered; the second letter represents the code for the city at the prefecture level, with A being the provincial capital, B the second largest city in the province, C the third largest, and so on.
The 'Su' on the license plate refers to the abbreviation of Jiangsu Province. I remember this is because the prefix on the license plate represents the vehicle's registration location. The Chinese license plate system uses abbreviated letters for provinces, with 'Su' being the code for Jiangsu, based on historical administrative divisions. In ancient times, Jiangsu was often abbreviated as 'Su', originating from the cultural city of Suzhou. Now, when driving on the road and seeing a 'Su' license plate, I know it's from Jiangsu, such as big cities like Nanjing or Suzhou. The license plate also has several digits or letters at the end, indicating the specific location of the city or district, but the prefix 'Su' is unified for the entire province. This system helps with traffic management and accident tracking, making it easy to identify the origin of vehicles. If you have the chance to travel to Jiangsu, seeing 'Su' license plates is also a microcosm of the local culture, making it easy to blend into local life.
