To check prior registrations, use the CNIPA online trademark search system on its official website. In the class of goods or services you plan to apply for, run identical-match and similarity searches on your candidate mark, and extend the search to pinyin, corresponding foreign-language words, and look-alike character forms.
Determine the Class to Search
First, use the Classification of Similar Goods and Services to determine which class and which similar group your goods or services fall into. The search should focus on the same class and same group, but must not omit related groups carrying cross-class similarity notes.
Search in Layers
First layer—identical match: enter the mark itself for an exact-match query. Second layer—similarity: search separately for variants in character form (look-alike characters, added or removed characters), pronunciation (homophones), and meaning (synonyms, foreign-language equivalents). Third layer—dominant portion: search the core word of the mark on its own to see whether any prior trademark contains that core word.
Read the Search Results Correctly
For each prior trademark found, verify: its legal status (valid or lapsed), whether its designated goods are similar to yours, and the applicant's details. Prior trademarks that have been invalidated or have been cancelled beyond a certain period no longer pose an obstacle, but pending applications and valid registrations are both obstacles.
Do Not Forget Non-Trademark Prior Rights
Beyond the trademark database, you should also check for possible conflicts with prior rights such as trade names (enterprise names), distinctive names of well-known goods, and copyrights—especially when the sign you intend to register is one that someone else has already used extensively.
Limitations
A self-service search is constrained by the blind period and by the subjectivity of similarity judgment; finding no obstacle does not guarantee approval. For core trademarks, combine a self-service preliminary screening with a professional approval-rate assessment.
If you are facing the issues described above, you can first run a trademark registration assessment on MyTMBee and decide whether to file only after confirming feasibility, avoiding wasted official fees from blind filings.