The DiscriminatorValue annotation can only be specified on a concrete entity class.

If the DiscriminatorValue annotation is not specified and a discriminator column is used, a provider-specific function will be used to generate a value representing the entity type. If the DiscriminatorType is STRING, the discriminator value default is the entity name.

The inheritance strategy and the discriminator column are only specified in the root of an entity class hierarchy or subhierarchy in which a different inheritance strategy is applied. The discriminator value, if not defaulted, should be specified for each entity class in the hierarchy.

Example:

    @Entity
    @Table(name="CUST")
    @Inheritance(strategy=SINGLE_TABLE)
    @DiscriminatorColumn(name="DISC", discriminatorType=STRING, length=20)
    @DiscriminatorValue("CUSTOMER")
    public class Customer { ... }

    @Entity
    @DiscriminatorValue("VCUSTOMER")
    public class ValuedCustomer extends Customer { ... }