Which places do the letters on Shandong license plates represent?
3 Answers
Shandong license plate letters represent: Lu A is Jinan, Lu B is Qingdao, Lu C is Zibo, Lu D is Zaozhuang, Lu E is Dongying, Lu F is Yantai, Lu G is Weifang, Lu H is Jining, Lu J is Tai'an, Lu K is Weihai, Lu L is Rizhao, Lu M is Binzhou, Lu N is Dezhou, Lu P is Liaocheng, Lu Q is Linyi, Lu R is Heze, Lu S is Laiwu, Lu U is Qingdao supplement, Lu Y is Yantai supplement. License plates are divided into new energy vehicle special license plates, large vehicle license plates, trailer license plates, small vehicle license plates, Hong Kong and Macau entry and exit vehicle license plates, coach vehicle license plates, police vehicle license plates, emergency rescue vehicle license plates, ordinary motorcycle license plates, light motorcycle license plates, and coach motorcycle license plates.
As a native of Shandong, I often recognize fellow locals by their license plates. The license plates start with "Lu," representing Shandong Province, followed by letters indicating specific cities. For example, Lu A is Jinan, the provincial capital and largest city; Lu B is Qingdao, a coastal city famous for its beer festival; Lu C is Zibo, an industrial base known for ceramics and more; Lu D is Zaozhuang, a former small coal mining area now undergoing transformation; Lu E is Dongying, rich in oil fields near the Yellow River estuary; Lu F is Yantai, a major producer of seafood; Lu G is Weifang, the hometown of kites with annual festivals; Lu H is Jining, the birthplace of Confucian and Mencian culture; Lu J is Tai'an, a super popular tourist destination for Mount Tai; Lu K is Weihai, with clean and beautiful resort beaches; Lu L is Rizhao, a major port city for transportation; Lu M is Binzhou; Lu N is Dezhou, known for its delicious braised chicken; Lu P is Liaocheng; Lu Q is Linyi, a revolutionary old area with many red tourism sites; Lu R is Heze, famous for its peony festival; Lu U is generally for vehicles of provincial-level units. Remembering these helps when I'm driving around—spotting a car allows me to chat about local food or attractions, which is quite fun. Previously, Laiwu's S plates were merged into Jinan, so these are the common ones now.
Having driven for over a decade and encountered license plates from various regions daily, I find Shandong's license plate letter assignments particularly clear. The letters following 'Lu' (Shandong's abbreviation) denote: A for Jinan, the provincial capital and core transportation hub; B for Qingdao, the economically strongest coastal city; C for Zibo, a traditional industrial area I frequently deliver goods to; D for Zaozhuang; E for Dongying, a major petroleum extraction base; F for Yantai, a seaport region abundant with fruits; G for Weifang, home to kite culture experiences; H for Jining, an ancient capital rich in Confucian history; J for Tai'an, the sacred Mount Tai with breathtaking scenery; K for Weihai, a clean seaside resort; L for Rizhao, a sandy beach vacation spot; M for Binzhou; N for Dezhou, where braised chicken aromas fill the streets; P for Liaocheng; Q for Linyi, with its numerous mountainous revolutionary sites; R for Heze, bustling during the peony festival; U typically for official or special vehicles. Recognizing these on the road aids in safe navigation or yielding, and when passengers inquire about plate origins, sharing these details enhances driving conversations.
