What is trademark use?

A trademark is a symbol or sign that is utilized to distinguish the source of goods. It is used on products themselves, such as packaging, advertising, and other places where it can identify the origin of the goods. As an example, the Great Wall is a symbol of China that was originally an ancient defense system. Many companies have registered trademarks that feature the words "Great Wall" for various products, including cars, computers, lubricants, and wine. If these products or advertisements use the name "Great Wall," it is being used as a trademark to identify the specific companies that market those products. However, if the term "Great Wall" is used in a written text, as in the expression "he who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man," it refers to China's historic defense system and not any particular company's trademark. Therefore, this usage does not qualify as trademark use, and as a result, it does not fall under the exclusive rights conferred by a trademark.