Chinese Names

2008-09-27T11:38:00.000+08:00

Chinese names.

What is to be considered a good Chinese name?

Simple, straight-forward? Abstract, complicated?

About Chinese Names

2004-10-10T14:17:00.005+08:00

Chinese names represent more than an identity to differentiate one individual from another. Chinese names very often actually represent the hopes or aspirations of the grand-father, father, mother or any other elderly relative who is given the honour to name the newborn child. Chinese names tend to contain meaningful words that represent the kind of good values or virtues that the person who named the child hoped that one day the later will grow up possessing those valuable characters.

To name a child with the "right" name takes skill. Experience will also come in handy. A good grasp, command and understanding of the Chinese language is definitely essential. Oh, btw, any knowledge of the history of China, Chinese culture and traditions will also be valuable and helpful. It is more than an art ... it is also a science :)

Ever wonder why these terms are so commonly found in Chinese names:

Qiang2 (often spelt differently as Kiong, etc.) - Strong
Mei3 (often spelt differently as May, Mee, etc.) - Beautiful
Zhong (often spelt differently as Chong, etc.) - Loyalty
De2 (often spelt differently as Teck, Tak, Te, etc.) - Virtue
Hui4 (often spelt differently as Hwee, etc.) - Wisdom
Cai2 (often spelt differently as Chai, Choi, etc.) - Wealth
Fu2 (often spelt differently as Hock, Fock, etc.) - Blessings
Jing4 (often spelt differently as Chin, Cing, etc.) - Quietness, Serenity
Wen2 (often spelt differently as Man, Boon, etc.) - Language, Literature
Liang2 (often spelt differently as Leong, etc.) - Good, Kind
Yu4 (often spelt differently as Yoke, Gek, etc.) - Jade
Yun2 (often spelt differently as Wan, Hoon, etc.) - Cloud
Wei3 (often spelt differently as Wai, etc.) - Great
Jia (often spelt differently as Kah, Keh, etc.) - Home, Family
Long2 (often spelt differently as Loong, Lung, Leng, etc.) - Dragon
Feng4 (often spelt differently as Fung, Fong, Hong, etc.) - Phoenix
Hu3 (often spelt differently as Hou, Fu, etc.) - Tiger

Chinese names can come in 1 or 2-word formats. In China, it is common to have 1-word names, for example the famous Chinese actress, "Gong Li" (Gong is the surname, and Li is the name) and badminton star, "Yang Yang" (Yang is the surname, Yang is the name). Even for 2-word surnames, it is also common to have 1-word names, for example, "Sima Guang" (Sima is the surname, and Guang is the name).

On the other hand, in China and especially other parts of the world like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, etc., most Chinese names tend to follow the 2-word format. For example:

Chen Hui Mei (Chen is the surname, Hui Mei is the given name)
Zhao Jian Hua (Zhao is the surname, Jian Hua is the given name)
Li Lian Jie (Li is the surname, Lian Jie is the given name)
Zhang Zi Yi (Zhang is the surname, Zi Yi is the given name)

Chinese names tend to put the SURNAME (family name, clan name, last name) in front followed by the individual's given name at the back, hence LIN Guo-Zhong or ZHANG Hui-Yu. But to avoid confusion, many Chinese who went overseas, for example to the United States of America (USA), they will put their name as such: "Guo-Zhong, Lin" or "Hui-Yu, Zhang". In actual reality, the Chinese tend to prefer their surname in front as it represents their family and clan.

As you might have noticed, the Chinese do not have "middle names". So, for "Lin Guo Zhong", "Lin" is the surname / family-name, and "Guo Zhong" is the individual's given name.