Trademark Wiki
A knowledge base covering the full China trademark lifecycle: pre-filing, registration, examination & refusal, opposition & invalidation, renewal, enforcement and international trademarks.
商标基础 (30)
- Can One Trademark Be Registered in Multiple Classes?
- Practical Guide to Class Selection Under the Nice Classification: How to Choose Among Classes 1–45
- Individual vs. Company Trademark Applications: A Complete Guide
- The Complete Guide to Trademark Naming: From Coining and Screening to Finalization
- Can an Individual Apply for Trademark Registration?
- How to Name a Trademark for a Higher Approval Rate?
- Can a Registered Trademark Be Cancelled If It Is Not Used?
- Which Signs Cannot Be Registered as Trademarks?
- Collective Marks and Certification Marks
- Trademark Distinctiveness
- Nice Classification
- Registered Trademark
- Trademark
- Well-Known Trademark
- What Is the Difference Between the TM and ® Symbols?
- Are a Trademark and a Brand the Same Thing?
- What Is the Difference Between a Trademark and a Logo?
- How Long Is a Trademark Valid?
- What Is a Trademark?
- Why Are Trademarks Registered by Class?
- What Is the Difference Between a Trademark and a Trade Name (Enterprise Name)?
- What Is the Nice Classification?
- Case Analysis: Combined Mark Rejected in Whole Because One Element Is Similar to a Prior Mark
- Case Analysis: Typical Scenarios of Rejection for Lack of Distinctiveness
- Case Analysis: Typical Scenarios of Rejection Under the Prohibited-Signs Clause (Article 10)
- What Is Trademark Distinctiveness?
- Can a Sound Be Registered as a Trademark?
- Can a Color Be Registered as a Trademark?
- Why Should the Elements of a Combined Mark Be Registered Separately?
- Device Mark vs. Word Mark: Which Is Better?
申请前准备 (30)
- Trademark Similarity
- What Are the Ways to Conduct a Trademark Search?
- Case Analysis: Rejection Caused by Cross-Class Similarity
- Case Analysis: Rejected After Colliding with a Prior Trademark Because No Search Was Done
- How Do I Check Whether Someone Has Already Registered an Identical or Similar Trademark?
- Can Trademarks in Different Classes Still Be Found Similar?
- Can a Generic Name Be Registered as a Trademark?
- Pre-Filing Risk Assessment and Class Layout Guide
- A Practical Guide to Pre-Filing Trademark Searches: The Full Self-Service Workflow
- The Complete Guide to Trademark Similarity Judgment: Understanding Rejection Logic from the Examiner's Perspective
- How Do I Assess the Approval Rate Before Filing?
- How Do I Judge Whether Two Trademarks Are Similar?
- Does a Trademark Search Cost Money?
- How Is Similarity of Goods and Services Determined?
- Which Words Should I Avoid When Naming a Trademark to Raise the Approval Rate?
- Are a Pinyin Trademark and a Chinese-Character Trademark Considered Similar?
- Can a Place Name Be Registered as a Trademark?
- Should I Register a Word Mark or a Logo First?
- What Is the Blind Period in a Trademark Search?
- If a Search Finds a Similar Trademark, Can I Still Register?
- Why Search Before Registering a Trademark?
- Classification of Similar Goods and Services
- Prior Rights
- Case Analysis: Free-Riding on a Famous Brand Held to Be Bad-Faith Registration
- Search Blind Period
- Does Trademark Similarity Judgment Look at Character Form or Pronunciation?
- Can an English Trademark and a Chinese Trademark Be Found Similar?
- Can a Surname Be Registered as a Trademark?
- Defensive Registration
- Trademark Search
申请流程 (30)
- What Is a Trademark Acceptance Notice?
- What Documents Do You Sign When Appointing a Trademark Agency?
- How Long Is the Preliminary Approval Publication Period?
- Case Study: How Incomplete Signatures and Seals on Agency Documents Caused Delays
- Case Study: Correction Required for Non-Standard Goods Descriptions
- Case Study: Correction Required for a Non-Compliant Specimen
- Can Trademark Registration Be Expedited?
- How to Fill In the Trademark Application Form
- A Practical Guide to the Full Trademark Registration Process (From Preparation to Certificate)
- The Complete Guide to Preparing Trademark Application Materials (Individuals / Enterprises / Specimens)
- Trademark Registration Timeline and Key Milestones Guide
- How Long Does Trademark Registration Take?
- What Materials Does a Company Need to Register a Trademark?
- What Materials Does an Individual Need to Register a Trademark?
- What Materials Are Needed to Register a Trademark?
- Can One Application Cover Multiple Classes?
- How Much Is the Official Fee for Trademark Registration?
- What Is the Difference Between Online Filing and Window Filing?
- What Is a Preliminary Approval Publication?
- What Is the Trademark Registration Process?
- Can You Use ® Once the Notice of Acceptance Is Issued?
- What Are the Requirements for a Trademark Specimen?
- What Does Substantive Examination of a Trademark Cover?
- Notice of Acceptance
- Registration Publication
- Trademark Registration Application
- Single-Mark Multi-Class Application
- Preliminary Approval
- Substantive Examination
- Does It Matter Whether You File a Black-and-White or Color Specimen?
审查与驳回 (30)
- What to Do When Your Trademark Is Refused?
- How Long After a Trademark Refusal Can You Apply for Review?
- What Materials Are Required for a Refusal Review?
- What Is the Refusal Review Process?
- What Is the Success Rate of a Refusal Review?
- How Long Does a Refusal Review Take?
- After a Refusal, Which Is Better: Refiling or a Refusal Review?
- What Can You Do After a Refusal Review Fails?
- Case Analysis: Overturning a Refusal at Review After the Cited Trademark Is Cancelled for Three Years of Non-Use
- Case Analysis: A Trademark Refused for Lack of Distinctiveness Succeeds at Review with Use Evidence
- Case Analysis: Refused for Similarity to a Cited Trademark — Key Strategies That Won at Review
- How to Remedy a Refusal for Lack of Distinctiveness?
- If a Trademark Is Refused, Is the Official Fee Refundable?
- The Complete Guide to Refusal Review: Case Analysis, Material Preparation, and Strategy Selection
- Guide to Reading the Refusal Review Decision and Pursuing Further Remedies
- Guide to Trademark Refusal Grounds: Article-by-Article Analysis and Response Strategies
- How to Respond to a Refusal for Similarity to a Cited Trademark?
- Refusal on Absolute Grounds
- Cited Trademark
- Trademark Refusal Notice
- Refusal Review (Review of Refusal)
- Refusal on Relative Grounds
- Trademark Refusal
- What Is a Cited Trademark?
- Refused for Violating Prohibited Signs? Is There Still a Remedy?
- How to Respond to a Bad-Faith Filing Refusal (Article 4)?
- What Is the First Step After Receiving a Trademark Refusal Notice?
- How Much Does a Refusal Review Cost?
- What Does Partial Refusal Mean?
- What Are the Grounds for Trademark Refusal?
异议与无效宣告 (30)
- What Is a Trademark Opposition?
- What to Do If Your Agent Squats Your Trademark?
- Case Analysis: Invalidating a Squatted Trademark Based on Prior Copyright
- Case Analysis: Successfully Blocking a Squatted Trademark by Opposition During the Preliminary Approval Period
- Case Analysis: A Successful Cross-Class Opposition Based on a Well-Known Trademark
- How to File an Invalidation Based on Prior Copyright Infringement?
- A Practical Guide to Invalidation: Grounds, Evidence, and Procedure
- A Complete Guide to Trademark Opposition: Filing an Opposition and Defending Against One
- A Full-Process Guide to Responding to and Remedying Trademark Squatting
- How Long Does a Trademark Opposition Take to Produce a Result?
- How to Defend When Your Trademark Is Opposed?
- What Is the Time Limit for an Invalidation Request?
- How to File an Invalidation Against a Bad-Faith Registration?
- How Much Is the Official Fee for a Trademark Opposition?
- How Long Is the Trademark Opposition Period?
- What Materials Are Needed for an Opposition Defense?
- What to Do If You Find Someone Has Squatted Your Trademark?
- Invalidation
- Bad-Faith Registration
- Opposition Defense
- Prior Rights
- Squatting
- Trademark Opposition
- If an Opposition Is Upheld, Is the Trademark Invalid?
- Can a Trademark Be Used While It Is Under Opposition?
- What Is the Difference Between Opposition and Invalidation?
- What Special Protection Do Well-Known Trademarks Enjoy in Opposition?
- What Is an Invalidation?
- Who Can File a Trademark Opposition?
- If the Opposition Fails, What Can the Opponent Do Next?
注册与证书 (30)
- Can Others Still Challenge My Trademark After the Registration Publication?
- Is the Electronic Trademark Registration Certificate the Same as the Paper Certificate?
- Trademark Exclusive Right
- Guide to Using and Managing Trademark Registration Certificates (Download, Verification, and Archiving)
- Complete Guide from Preliminary Approval Publication to Getting the Certificate
- Post-Registration Trademark Maintenance Checklist Guide (Renewal, Change, and Use Evidence)
- How Long After the Preliminary Approval Publication Can I Get the Trademark Registration Certificate?
- Does Getting the Registration Certificate Mean I Can Rest Easy?
- What Should I Do If I Lose My Trademark Registration Certificate?
- What Do the Approved Goods on the Registration Certificate Mean?
- Do I Need to Update the Registration Certificate If the Name or Address Changes?
- Can I Still Get the Certificate If My Trademark Is Opposed During the Publication Period?
- Preliminary Approval Publication
- Registration Publication
- Trademark Registration Certificate
- What Does a Trademark Registration Certificate Look Like? What Information Does It Contain?
- What Is the Registration Publication? How Does It Differ from the Preliminary Approval Publication?
- Approved Goods
- From Which Date Does the Trademark Exclusive Right Begin?
- From Which Date Does the Ten-Year Trademark Validity Period Begin?
- Where Can I Download the Trademark Registration Certificate?
- After Getting the Certificate, Where Can I Use the ® Symbol?
- Case Analysis: Failure to Download and Archive the Electronic Certificate in Time Undermined Enforcement Evidence
- Case Analysis: Registration Granted After Responding to an Opposition During the Publication Period
- How Do I Correct Errors on the Registration Certificate?
- Case Analysis: Mismatch Between the Registration Certificate Name and the Business License Blocked Use
- Are the Trademark Registration Number and Application Number the Same?
- Trademark Registration Number
- Does the Electronic Trademark Registration Certificate Have Legal Effect?
- What Should I Do After Obtaining the Trademark Registration Certificate?
商标使用规范 (30)
- Non-Use Cancellation (Three Consecutive Years of Non-Use)
- Use as a Trademark (Trademark-Function Use)
- Trademark Use
- Will a Trademark Really Be Cancelled After Three Consecutive Years of Non-Use?
- Does Advertising Without Actual Sales Count as Trademark Use?
- Case Analysis: A Registered Trademark Cancelled for Three Consecutive Years of Non-Use
- Case Analysis: A Business Ordered to Rectify for Unauthorized Alteration of a Registered Trademark
- May You Change the Colors of a Registered Trademark in Use?
- Does a Trademark Name on an Invoice Count as Evidence of Use?
- Can Online Store Sales Records Serve as Trademark Evidence of Use?
- Which Materials Count as Valid Trademark Evidence of Use?
- What Is Trademark Evidence of Use?
- Does Using a Trademark on Gifts Count as Trademark Use?
- Non-Use Cancellation Risk Prevention and Response Guide: From Daily Prevention to Defense Practice
- Complete Guide to Retaining Trademark Evidence of Use: How to Manage Contracts, Invoices, Advertising, and E-Commerce Evidence
- Is Recordal Required for Licensing a Trademark to Others?
- Where Should the Registration Mark (®) Be Placed on a Trademark?
- May an Unregistered Trademark Carry the (®)?
- May You Modify a Registered Trademark and Then Use It with the (®)?
- Unauthorized Alteration of a Registered Trademark
- Evidence of Use
- What Is the Use of the TM Mark?
- What Is 'Non-Use Cancellation'?
- May You Change the Font of a Trademark After Registration?
- Practical Guide to the (®) Mark and Compliant Trademark Use: The Compliance Boundaries of Marking, Fonts, Colors, and Splitting
- What Should You Do After Receiving a Non-Use Cancellation Defense Notice?
- Case Analysis: How an Unrecorded Trademark License Affects Enforcement Against a Good-Faith Third Party
- Must the Trademark Registration Number Be Indicated on Product Packaging?
- May a Combination Registered Trademark Be Used Separately?
- Recordal of a Trademark License
续展变更转让许可 (30)
- How Long Does a Trademark Assignment Take?
- Missed the Renewal Deadline? Remedies Still Available
- What Happens If You Don't Record a Change of Name or Address?
- Must Similar Trademarks Be Assigned Together?
- Trademark Assignment
- Trademark Change
- Trademark Licensing
- Trademark Renewal
- If the Company Moves, Must the Trademark Address Be Changed?
- Can a Trademark Be Sold to Someone Else?
- Case Analysis: Company Renamed Without Recording a Trademark Change, Enforcement Obstructed
- If the Company Changes Its Name, Must the Trademark Be Changed?
- Does Trademark Renewal Require Re-examination?
- What Is the Difference Between an Exclusive License and a Non-exclusive License?
- Grace Period
- How Early Can You Apply for Trademark Renewal?
- Is Notarization Required for Trademark Assignment?
- A Practical Guide to Trademark Assignment Transactions: Pricing, Process and Risk Control
- What Is the Trademark Assignment Process?
- When Should You File for Trademark Renewal?
- Does Renewal During the Grace Period Cost More?
- How Long Does a Trademark Change Take?
- Case Analysis: Similar Trademarks Not Assigned Together, the Assignment Was Refused
- Practical Guide to Trademark Change and License Recordation
- Case Analysis: Missing Both the Renewal Window and the Grace Period, the Trademark Was Cancelled
- What Formalities Are Required to License a Trademark to Others?
- License Recordation
- How Much Is the Official Fee for Trademark Assignment?
- The Complete Guide to Trademark Renewal: Deadlines, Fees, Process and Common Pitfalls
- How Much Does Trademark Renewal Cost?
维权与侵权 (50)
- What Should I Do If I Am Sued for Trademark Infringement?
- What Are the Types of Trademark Infringement?
- Administrative Complaint or Court Litigation for Trademark Infringement?
- Adidas Trademark Cases: Treble Punitive Damages in China and Invalidation of the EU 'Three Stripes' Mark
- The 'Bao Shifu' Trademark Enforcement Series: Civil and Administrative Tracks Clear Out Copycat Franchises
- Bilibili v. Dilidili Trademark Infringement Case: RMB 3 Million Awarded
- The 'Kasite (CASTEL)' Trademark Dispute: Damages Reduced from RMB 33.73 Million to RMB 500,000
- 'Cha Yan Yue Se' v. 'Cha Yan Guan Se' Unfair Competition Case: RMB 1.7 Million Awarded
- Typical Customs IP Protection Cases: Recordal, Seizure, and Confiscation Upon Infringement Finding
- Analysis of Typical E-Commerce Counterfeiting: Platform Takedown Plus Administrative Enforcement
- Apple v. Shenzhen Proview 'iPad' Trademark Dispute: Settled for USD 60 Million
- JDB v. Wanglaoji Red Can Trade Dress Dispute: Final Judgment Finds the Rights May Be Shared
- The 'Six Walnuts' Case: China's First Punitive Damages Award to a Trademark Owner
- New Balance Trademark Infringement Case: Second Instance Reduces Damages from RMB 98 Million to RMB 5 Million
- Analysis of Exemption from Damages Through the Three-Year Non-Use Defense
- The 'Red Bull' Trademark Ownership Dispute: A Licensee Cannot Acquire Trademark Rights Through Use and Promotion
- Starbucks v. Shanghai Starbucks: Well-Known Trademark Protection and Trade Name Conflicts
- Tesla TESLA Trademark Squatting Case: Resolved by Mediation After Multi-Track Litigation
- Vans Trademark Infringement Case: Treble Punitive Damages of RMB 2.42 Million for E-Commerce Counterfeiting
- 'Jiuliangye' Infringement of 'Wuliangye' Trademark: Supreme Court Reverses on Retrial and Awards RMB 9 Million
- Xiaomi v. 'Xiaomi Life' Trademark Infringement: A Model Case for Punitive Damages
- Is a Lawyer's Letter Useful in Trademark Infringement?
- How Much Damages Can You Claim for Trademark Infringement?
- Can Trademark Infringement Send You to Prison?
- Can Customs Intercept Infringing Goods?
- How to Collect Trademark Infringement Evidence Effectively?
- Legitimate Source Defense
- What Materials Are Needed to Complain About Trademark Infringement on Taobao or Pinduoduo?
- Punitive Damages
- Trademark Infringement
- Trademark Monitoring
- I Am Accused of Infringement but the Other Side's Trademark Has Been Unused for Three Years—What Can I Do?
- What Are Punitive Damages for Trademark Infringement?
- How Do I Intercept a Similar New Trademark Application?
- How Do I Complain About Infringing Links on E-Commerce Platforms?
- Practical Guide to Trademark Complaints on E-Commerce Platforms
- Analysis of Scenarios Where the Legitimate Source Defense Succeeds or Fails
- How Do I Monitor for Squatting of Similar Trademarks?
- What If the Platform Won't Accept My Trademark Infringement Complaint?
- Choosing a Trademark Rights Enforcement Route: Complaints, Administrative Enforcement, Litigation, and Criminal Prosecution
- Guide to Collecting and Preserving Trademark Infringement Evidence
- What Is the Legitimate Source Defense to Trademark Infringement?
- What Evidence Should Be Prepared for a Trademark Infringement Lawsuit?
- What Should I Do If Someone Counterfeits My Trademark?
- Cease-and-Desist Letter (Lawyer's Letter)
- 'Jiangxiaobai' Trademark Invalidation Case (Guiding Case No. 162): A Distribution Relationship Is Not an Agency Relationship
- Michael Jordan v. TRAB: The Three-Part Test for Prior Name Rights
- The 'Lafite' Case: Finding of a Well-Known Unregistered Trademark and Damages (RMB 2 Million Awarded)
- The 'Lao Gan Ma' Trademark Infringement Cases: The Boundary of Writing a Well-Known Trademark as a Flavor Name
- Customs Recordal of Trademark Rights
国际商标 (30)
- What Trademark Do You Need for Amazon Brand Registry?
- Case Analysis: Registered Domestically Only, Brand Squatted in Target Countries
- Case Analysis: US Intent-to-Use Application Abandoned for Missing the Statement of Use Deadline
- What Is the Central Attack Principle?
- Complete Guide to US Trademark Registration: Filing Basis, Specimens of Use, and Post-Registration Maintenance
- Is a Trademark Registered in China Valid Abroad?
- Which Countries' Trademarks Must Cross-Border Sellers Register First?
- Which Countries Does an EU Trademark Registration Cover?
- Cross-Border E-Commerce Trademark Layout Guide: Platform Brand Registry + Key-Country Registration, End to End
- Which Countries Are Worth Designating in a Madrid Registration?
- How to Monitor Overseas Trademark Squatting?
- Central Attack
- European Union Trade Mark (EUTM)
- How Long Does International Trademark Registration Take?
- What Are the Special Requirements for Trademark Registration in Japan?
- What to Do If Your Madrid International Registration Is Refused?
- Madrid International Registration Practice Guide: Requirements, Procedure and Designation Strategy
- Are Hong Kong and Mainland China Trademarks Interchangeable?
- Madrid Protocol
- Madrid System
- National Filing
- What Must Be Filed Later for a US Intent-to-Use (1b) Application?
- Do You Need a US Company to Register a US Trademark?
- What Is Madrid International Trademark Registration?
- For Brands Going Global: Trademark First or Market First?
- What Are the Requirements for Madrid International Registration?
- Madrid Registration vs. National Registration: Which Is Better?
- Case Analysis: Madrid Registration Hit by Central Attack After the Home Basis Failed
- US Declarations of Use (Section 8 / Section 15)
- What Filing Bases Are Available for US Trademark Applications?
专业术语 (50)
- Partial Refusal
- Preliminary Approval Announcement
- Prior Rights
- The Refusal Notice
- Refusal Review
- Application Number and Registration Number
- Bad-Faith Trademark Applications
- Review of Cancellation Decisions
- Certification Marks
- Descriptive Signs
- Designated Goods
- Distinctiveness
- The Exclusive Right to a Registered Trademark
- Geographical Indications
- Identical Trademarks
- Inherent Distinctiveness
- International Registration and the Central Attack
- Invalidation on Absolute Grounds
- Invalidation on Relative Grounds
- Likelihood of Confusion
- The Madrid System
- Multi-Class Applications
- The Nice Classification
- Cancellation for Non-Use (Three Consecutive Years)
- Opposition Defense
- Similar Groups
- Similar Trademarks
- Sound Marks
- Three-Dimensional Marks
- The TM Symbol
- Trademark Opposition
- The Trademark Search Blind Period
- Trademark Squatting
- Use of a Trademark
- Well-Known Trademarks
- The Legal Definition of a Trademark
- Generic Names
- Defensive Trademarks
- Acquired Distinctiveness
- Collective Marks
- Color Combination Marks
- Deceptive Signs
- Trademark Specimens (Representations)
- Priority Rights
- Prohibited Signs
- The ® Symbol
- Registered Trademarks
- Registration Announcement
- Similar Goods and Services
- Prior Use
商标应用场景 (30)
- WeChat Channels Names and Trademarks: Naming Rules, Enterprise Verification, and What to Do When the Name Is Taken
- Amazon Brand Registry: Trademark Requirements and Cross-Market Layout
- App Store Publishing: Trademark Requirements for App Names and Developer Accounts
- Customs IP Recordation: Using Your Trademark to Protect Your Goods at Import and Export
- Domains and Trademarks: Cybersquatting, UDRP, and Domestic Domain Name Dispute Resolution
- Opening Stores on Tmall, JD.com, and Pinduoduo: A Comparison of Trademark Qualification Requirements Across the Three Platforms
- Trademarks in Livestream E-commerce: Hosts, Stores, and Brand Authorization
- Opening a Food Delivery Store on Meituan/Ele.me: Onboarding Qualifications, Brand Store Requirements, and Anti-Counterfeiting
- Commercial Franchise Filing: The Mandatory Requirements for Registered Trademarks in Franchising
- Game Licenses (ISBN Approvals) and Trademarks: IP Layout for Game Titles
- Government Procurement and Bidding: Trademarks and IP Bonus Points in Bid Qualifications
- High-Tech Enterprise Certification and IP: Can Trademarks Earn Bonus Points?
- Financing, Due Diligence, and IPO: Trademark Issues in IP Review
- Brand Licensing and Merchandising: Commercial Use of Trademark Licenses
- Overseas Exhibitions and the Canton Fair: Trademark Infringement Complaints and Interim Protection
- Publications, Packaging Printing, and Trademarks: Rules for Trademark Use on Printed Materials
- Independent Stores and Google/Meta Ads: Brand Verification and Trademark Requirements
- SMS Signatures and Trademarks: Applying for Brand Signatures on Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud and Handling Rejections
- Storefront Signage and Trademark Use: Boundaries of Shop Sign Naming, Franchise Authorization, and Infringement Response
- TikTok Shop and TikTok Ads: Brand Qualifications and Trademark Requirements
- WeChat Mini Program Names and Trademarks: Registration, Verification, and What to Do When the Name Is Taken
- WeChat Official Account Name Filing and Trademarks: Verification, Name Protection, and Complaint Handling
- Xiaohongshu (RED) Professional Accounts and Store Opening: Trademark Requirements for Verification and Store Types
- Bank Accounts, Payment Channels, and Trademarks: Brand Qualifications in Corporate Banking
- Enterprise Blue V Verification and Trademarks: Naming Rules for WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo
- AliExpress, eBay, Shopee, Temu, SHEIN: A Comparison of Brand Qualification Requirements Across Cross-Border Marketplaces
- Trademark Use in 400 Numbers, Outbound Calling, and Enterprise Communications
- Trademarks in Advertising: Brand Claims, Comparative Advertising, and Advertising Law Boundaries
- Alipay Mini Programs and Life Accounts: Naming Rules, Merchant Onboarding, and Trademark Requirements
- Website ICP Filing, Domains, and Trademarks: Handling Name Conflicts and Cybersquatting