This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in GB/T 7714 format, China's national standard for bibliographic references. Whether you're writing for Chinese academic journals, universities, or research institutions, following GB/T 7714-2015 rules ensures your citations meet the requirements of Chinese scholarly publishing.
Jan 4, 2026
By
Joe Pacal, MSc
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TL;DR
GB/T 7714 is China's national bibliography standard offering numeric [1] and author-date (Author, Year) citation systems. References use document type codes in brackets like [M] for monographs, [J] for journals, and [EB/OL] for online resources. Author names appear in capitals, and sources list up to three authors before using "et al" or "等". The 2015 edition is current. Perfect for Chinese universities, journals, and academic publishing.
What Is GB/T 7714?
GB/T 7714 (officially "GB/T 7714-2015: Information and Documentation—Rules for Bibliographic References and Citations to Information Resources") is China's national standard for academic citations. Published by the Standardization Administration of China, it governs how researchers cite sources in Chinese scholarly publications.
The standard provides rules for both numeric and author-date citation systems, with specific formatting for Chinese and Western-language sources.
Citation Systems
GB/T 7714 supports two in-text citation methods:
Numeric System
Citations appear as superscript or bracketed numbers in order of first appearance:
The research confirmed previous findings[1]. Later studies expanded on this work[2,3].
Or with superscript:
The research confirmed previous findings¹. Later studies expanded on this work²⁻³.
Author-Date System
Citations include author surname and year in parentheses:
The research confirmed previous findings (Zhang, 2020). Later studies expanded on this work (Li and Wang, 2021).
Document Type Codes
A distinctive feature of GB/T 7714 is the use of document type identifiers in square brackets:
Code | Document Type |
|---|---|
[M] | Monograph (book) |
[J] | Journal article |
[N] | Newspaper article |
[C] | Conference proceedings |
[D] | Dissertation/thesis |
[R] | Report |
[S] | Standard |
[P] | Patent |
[DB] | Database |
[CP] | Computer program |
[EB] | Electronic bulletin |
[OL] | Online resource |
Compound codes indicate electronic versions: [M/OL] = online book, [J/OL] = online journal, [EB/OL] = online electronic resource.
Citing Books (Monographs)
Format: AUTHOR. Title[M]. Edition. Place: Publisher, Year: Pages.
Examples:
Single author:
[1] ZHANG Wei. Research Methods in Social Sciences[M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: Peking University Press, 2019: 45-67.
Multiple authors (list up to 3, then "et al"):
[2] LI Ming, WANG Hua, CHEN Lei, et al. Modern Chinese Literature[M]. Shanghai: Fudan University Press, 2020.
Edited book:
[3] ZHAO Ping, ed. Handbook of Applied Linguistics[M]. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press, 2018.
Citing Journal Articles
Format: AUTHOR. Title[J]. Journal Name, Year, Volume(Issue): Pages.
Examples:
[4] WANG Xiaoming. Climate Change and Agricultural Policy[J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Science, 2021, 42(3): 156-168.
[5] LIU Yang, ZHANG Hua. Economic Development in Western Regions[J]. Economic Research Journal, 2020, 55(8): 23-41.
Online journal with DOI:
[6] CHEN Wei. Digital Transformation in Higher Education[J/OL]. Journal of Educational Technology, 2022, 15(2): 78-92. DOI:10.1234/jet.2022.0215.
Citing Electronic Resources
Format: AUTHOR. Title[EB/OL]. (Publication date)[Citation date]. URL.
Examples:
Website:
[7] Ministry of Education. Guidelines for Online Teaching[EB/OL]. (2020-03-15)[2024-01-10]. http://www.moe.gov.cn/guidelines.
Database:
[8] China National Knowledge Infrastructure. CNKI Academic Database[DB/OL]. [2024-01-15]. https://www.cnki.net.
Citing Dissertations and Theses
Format: AUTHOR. Title[D]. Place: Institution, Year.
Examples:
[9] ZHANG Lei. Machine Learning Applications in Medical Diagnosis[D]. Beijing: Tsinghua University, 2021.
[10] WANG Fang. Sustainable Urban Development in China[D]. Shanghai: Tongji University, 2020.
Citing Conference Papers
Format: AUTHOR. Title[C]//Conference Name. Place: Publisher, Year: Pages.
Example:
[11] LI Jun. Renewable Energy Policy Framework[C]//Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Development. Beijing: Science Press, 2021: 234-245.
Citing Patents
Format: APPLICANT. Title: Patent Number[P]. Date.
Example:
[12] HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES. Wireless Communication Method: CN201910123456.7[P]. 2020-05-12.
Citing Standards
Format: ISSUING BODY. Standard Number Title[S]. Place: Publisher, Year.
Example:
[13] Standardization Administration of China. GB/T 7714-2015 Information and Documentation—Rules for Bibliographic References[S]. Beijing: Standards Press of China, 2015.
Author Name Formatting
GB/T 7714 has specific conventions for author names:
Chinese names: Written in pinyin, surname first, in capitals
ZHANG Wei, LI Xiaoming
Western names: Surname in capitals, followed by initials
SMITH J, JOHNSON A B
Organizations as authors: Full name in capitals
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Author limits: List up to three authors; use "et al" (English) or "等" (Chinese) for additional authors
Reference List Formatting
Number references consecutively in order of citation (numeric system) or alphabetically by author (author-date system)
Use consistent punctuation: periods separate major elements, commas separate minor elements
Titles of books and journals are not italicized in Chinese publications (though some international journals may require italics)
Include page ranges for specific citations
GB/T 7714 vs Western Styles
Feature | GB/T 7714 | APA/Chicago |
|---|---|---|
Document type codes | Required [M], [J], etc. | Not used |
Author names | All capitals | Title case |
Title formatting | Usually no italics | Italics for books/journals |
Online resources | [EB/OL], [J/OL] compound codes | Described in prose |
Et al. threshold | After 3 authors | Varies (3-7 authors) |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing document type codes: Always include [M], [J], [D], etc.
Incorrect author capitalization: Names should appear in full capitals
Wrong punctuation: Use periods between major elements, not commas throughout
Missing access dates: Online resources require [citation date] in brackets
Forgetting compound codes: Electronic versions need compound codes like [J/OL], not just [J]
