Chinese names and surnames. Chinese names

Last name meaning in China

The peoples of East Asia perceived the traditional Chinese naming system as a kind of basis for the formation of their own traditions of naming people. Thus, historically, a situation has arisen where the vast majority of East Asian countries have almost the same naming system as China, that is, the meaning of the surname follows a tradition very similar to the Chinese.

In the Chinese language, there are actually a little more than seven hundred surnames, but only twenty of them are widely used among the people, so it is quite natural that the meaning of the surname and the whole variety of names in the Chinese language do not depend on the surname, which, as we could see, are very common in China little, but on a personal behalf. There are very, very many personal names in Chinese, as in Korean, hence the large number of so-called “namesakes”. People bearing the same surname, as a rule, are not relatives, so the meaning of the surname, as we see, is not very great.

Features of the construction and writing of surnames

The meaning of a surname in Chinese is practically independent of the number of syllables in it. Almost all Chinese surnames are monosyllabic and written with one character. But about twenty Chinese surnames remain two-syllable and are written in two characters. The remaining two-syllable surnames were reduced to the standard one-syllable form. By the way, the surnames of national minorities in China, consisting of two or more syllables, for the most part were also brought to a standard form. The meaning of a surname does not at all decrease by reducing the number of syllables in it.

Just like in Korea, Chinese brides after marriage, as a rule, do not take their husband’s surname, but keep their own. This is an almost universal practice in China. However, according to a long-standing tradition, children take their father's surname. The meaning of a surname in Chinese is approximately the same as in Korean.

When a Chinese first and last name needs to be written in Russian, then, as a rule, a space is used between the last name and the first name, written as Last Name. It should be remembered that the name is currently written together. In old manuscripts and literature, another spelling was found - with a hyphen, such as Feng Yu-hsiang. But now such a spelling is considered obsolete and is not used, giving way to a continuous spelling: Feng Yuxiang. But the meaning of the surname, despite some new spelling rules, has not changed.

Types of Chinese surnames

In ancient times, the Chinese knew two types of surnames: family names (in Chinese: 姓 - xìng) and clan names (氏 - shì).

Chinese surnames are patrilineal, meaning they are passed on from father to children. Chinese women usually keep their maiden name after marriage. Sometimes the husband's surname is written before his own surname: Huang Wang Jieqing.

Historically, only Chinese men possessed xìng (surname), in addition to shì (clan name); women only had a clan name and took a xìng husband after marriage.

Before the Warring States Period (5th century BC), only the royal family and aristocratic elite could have surnames. Historically there was also a distinction between xing and shi. Xing were surnames borne directly by members of the royal family.

Before the Qin Dynasty (3rd century BC), China was largely a feudal society. As fiefs were divided and subdivided among heirs, additional surnames known as shi were created to distinguish seniority of descent. Thus, a noble could have both shi and xing. After the states of China were unified by Qin Shi Huang in 221 BC, surnames gradually passed down to the lower classes and the distinction between xing and shi became blurred.

Formations of Chinese surnames
Shi surnames, many of which survive to this day, originated in one of the following ways:

1. From xing. They were usually kept by members of the royal family. Of the approximately six common xing, only Jiang (姜) and Yao (姚) survive as common surnames.
2. By imperial decree. During the imperial period, it was common practice for subjects to be given the surname of the emperor.

3. From the names of states. Many ordinary people took the name of their state to show their belonging to it or their national and ethnic identity. Examples include Song (宋), Wu (吴), Chen (陳). It is not surprising that, thanks to the mass of the peasantry, they are one of the most common Chinese surnames.

4. From the name of the fief or place of origin. An example is Di, Marquis of Ouyanting, whose descendants took the surname Ouyang (歐陽). There are approximately two hundred examples of surnames of this type, often two-syllable surnames, but few survive today.

5. On behalf of the ancestor.

6. In ancient times, the syllables Meng (孟), Zhong (仲), Shu (叔) and Zhi (季) were used to denote the first, second, third and fourth sons of a family. Sometimes these syllables became surnames. Of these, Meng is the most famous.

7. From the name of the profession. For example, Tao (陶) means “potter” or Wu (巫) means “shaman”.

8. From the name of the ethnic group. Such surnames were sometimes taken by non-Han peoples of China.

Interesting facts about Chinese surnames

Surnames in China are unevenly distributed. In northern China, the most common is the Wang (王), worn by 9.9% of the population. Then Li (李), Zhang (张/張) and Liu (刘/劉). In the south, the most common surname is Chen (陈/陳), covering 10.6% of the population. Then Li (李), Zhang (张/張) and Liu (刘/劉). In the south, Chen (陈/陳) is most common, being shared by 10.6% of the population. Then Li (李), Huang (黄), Ling (林) and Zhang (张/張). In the main cities on the Yangtze River, the most common surname is Li (李), with 7.7% of speakers. She is followed by Wang (王), Zhang (张/張), Chen (陈/陳) and Liu (刘/劉).

A 1987 study found that there were more than 450 surnames widely used in Beijing, but there were fewer than 300 surnames in Fujian. Despite the presence of thousands of surnames in China, 85% of the population bears one of the hundred surnames, which make up 5% of the family stock.

A 1990 study found that 96% of people in a sample of 174,900 had 200 surnames, 4% had 500 other surnames.

The three most common surnames in mainland China are Li, Wang, Zhang. They are worn by 7.9%, 7.4% and 7.1% of people respectively. This is about 300 million. Therefore, these three surnames are the most common in the world. In Chinese there is an expression "three Zhangs, four Lis" which means "any".

Most common surnames in China have one syllable. However, about 20 surnames have two syllables, such as Sima (司馬), Ouyang (歐陽). There are also surnames with three or more syllables. By their origin they are not Han, but, for example, Manchu. Example: The surname Aishin Gyorou (愛新覺羅) of the Manchu imperial family.

In China, all namesakes are considered relatives. Until 1911, marriages between namesakes were prohibited, regardless of the existence of real family relations between them.

Compared to Europeans, the Chinese began using surnames before our era. Initially, they were characteristic only of the royal family and aristocracy, but gradually ordinary people began to use them. Some of them have transformed over time, while others have remained unchanged.

Origin of surnames

If some peoples still do not even have such a concept, then Chinese culture, on the contrary, takes this issue very seriously. Ancient Chinese surnames initially had two meanings:

• "sin" (xìng). A concept that was used to define blood relatives, family. Later, a meaning was added to it, indicating the place of origin of the clan. This concept was precisely used by representatives of the imperial family.
• "shi" (shi). It appeared later and was used to show family ties within the entire family. This was the name of the clan. Over time, it began to denote the similarity of people by occupation.

Over time, these differences disappeared. Today there are no differences between people, but the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire still treat their family with care, honor and carefully study it. An interesting fact is that Koreans use Chinese characters to write their personal names. They adopted them from the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom and made them Korean, for example, Chen.

Meaning of Chinese surnames

Chinese surnames and their meanings have different origins. They have a large number of them, but only about two dozen are widely distributed. Some originated from professional activity (Tao - potter). Some are based on the name of the states-possessions into which China was fragmented in feudal times (Chen), and some are named after the ancestor who gave the name to the clan (Yuan). But all foreigners were called Hu. Names, of which there are a huge number, are of greater importance in the country.

Translation

There are many dialects in the country, so the same name can sound completely different. Transliterating it into other languages ​​can change the meaning completely, since most of them do not convey intonation, which plays a large role in the Chinese language. Many languages ​​have developed special transcription systems in order to somehow unify the spelling and translation of Chinese surnames.

Chinese surnames in Russian

Last names in Chinese are always written first (one syllable), and only then the name is written (one or two syllables), since family comes first for them. In Russian, according to the rules, they are written similarly. A compound name is written together, and not with a hyphen, as was the case until recently. In modern Russian, the so-called Palladian system is used, which, with the exception of some amendments, has been used to record Chinese surnames in Russian since the nineteenth century.

Chinese male surnames

The nicknames of the Chinese do not differentiate by gender, which cannot be said about the name. In addition to the main name, twenty-year-old boys were given a second name (“zi”). Chinese male names and surnames carry the traits that a man should have:

• Bokin - respect for the winner;
• Guozhi – state order;
• Deming - dignity;
• Zhong – loyal, stable;
• Zian – peaceful;
• Iyngji – heroic;
• Kiang – strong;
• Liang – bright;
• Minj – sensitive and wise;
• Rong – military;
• Fa – outstanding;
• Juan - happiness;
• Cheng – achieved;
• Eiguo – country of love, patriot;
• Yun – brave;
• Yaozu – worshiper of ancestors.

Women's

Women in the Middle Kingdom leave their own after marriage. The Chinese do not have specific rules that guide them when naming a child. Here the main role is played by the imagination of the parents. Chinese female names and surnames characterize a woman as a gentle creature, full of affection and love:

• Ai – love;
• Venkian – purified;
• G – pure;
• Jiao – graceful, beautiful;
• Jiya – beautiful;
• Zhilan – rainbow orchid;
• Ki - beautiful jade;
• Kiaohui – experienced and wise;
• Kiyu – autumn moon;
• Xiaoli – morning jasmine;
• Xingjuan – grace;
• Lijuan – beautiful, graceful;
• Lihua – beautiful and prosperous;
• Meihui – beautiful wisdom;
• Ningong – calmness;
• Ruolan - like an orchid;
• Ting – graceful;
• Fenfang – fragrant;
• Huizhong – wise and loyal;
• Chenguang – morning, light;
• Shuang - frank, sincere;
• Yui – moon;
• Yuming – jade brightness;
• Yun – cloud;
• I am grace.

Declension

In Russian, some Chinese surnames are declined. This applies to those that end in a consonant. If they end in “o” or a soft consonant, then it remains unchanged. This applies to male names. Women's names remain unchanged. All these rules are observed if personal names are used separately. When they are written together, only the last part will be subject to declination. Assimilated Chinese personal names will be subject to full declension in Russian.

How many surnames are there in China?

It is difficult to determine exactly how many surnames there are in China, but it is known that only about a hundred of them are in widespread use. The Celestial Empire is a country with a population of many billions, but paradoxically, most of its inhabitants have the same surname. According to tradition, the child inherits it from his father, although recently only the son could wear it, the daughter took her mother’s. Currently, the names of the genus do not change, although at the initial stage the hereditary names could change. This makes life difficult for the official authorities as it is very difficult to maintain records in such circumstances.

An interesting fact, but almost all personal names in Chinese are written in one character, only a small part consists of two syllables, for example, Ouyang. Although there may be exceptions: the writing will consist of three or even four hieroglyphs. Chinese people with the same surname are not considered relatives, but only namesakes, although until recently people were prohibited from marrying if they had the same surname. Often the child could be given double births - father and mother.

The peculiarity of Chinese culture lies in its distinct identity from European ones. The country developed for several millennia in conditions of isolation from the outside world. This has contributed to the fact that the Chinese have their own opinion about the simplest concepts, which seem insignificant to a Westerner.

Chinese female names carry meaning, and according to legends they can influence a person’s life. It is also worth mentioning that not only the name itself plays a special role in the Celestial Empire, but also the process of its change.

The influence of traditions on the choice of name

The difference between Chinese culture and Russian or any European culture is the difference in attitude towards a person’s surname and given name. In China, the surname has always played a big role; when meeting people, they call it first. Even an address to a person with whom the relationship does not allow frivolity should contain the last name.

Most Chinese surnames have one syllable. In writing they look like one hieroglyph. The accepted list, according to which surnames were previously distributed, contained only a hundred possible options. Today this list is much larger, but more than 90% of surnames in China are made up of just 10 distinct variants.

But when choosing names, there are almost no restrictions. The main criterion that modern parents pay attention to is sonority. The child is given names consisting of one or more hieroglyphs, which may have the meaning of denoting a concept, object, feeling or color.

Meaning of names

The meaning of the name has been a very serious life guide throughout the history of the development of Chinese civilization. It could mean that a person belongs to any caste or clan. Parents tried to name the child the way they would like his life to develop. Since China is a country with strong religious influences, parents often chose sacred words or entire sentences as names.

There are cases when strongly religious people called their children extremely repulsive concepts. One of the popular names in the 16th-18th centuries was “Goushen”; when parsing it into individual words, you can make up the sentence “Scraps from the dog’s table.” Not the most pleasant nickname for meeting new people. However, this was done only for the benefit of the child; it was believed that evil spirits would not touch a person whose fate was so bad that he was named so.

In order to somehow limit the not always healthy imagination, the government had to create a special list that prohibited the use of certain symbols in the compilation. It includes hieroglyphs related to the following concepts:

• Death.
• Waste products.
• Hint of sexual innuendo.

Today no one calls a person this way anymore, realizing that this can greatly complicate his life. Children can be given so-called “milk”, which serve as affectionate addresses from family to the baby. Or, over time, a person acquires qualities because of which he will be treated accordingly.

Female names list

Girls in China are mostly named after beautiful concepts that don't need any further explanation. The basis is:

• Names of precious minerals.
• Flowers.
• Things and events surrounding a person, such as dawn or the moon.
• Human qualities.

• Ai – love.
• Liling is a jade bell.
• Venkean is a pure girl.
• May - Plum.
• Ehuang is a beautiful August.
• Shan - so much grace.
• Zhaohui is simple wisdom.
• Fenkfan – fragrant.
• Kiaolian is someone who has been through a lot.
• Yanling - swallow forest.

The number of suitable options exceeds several thousand. Because a slight change in one syllable can completely change the meaning of a word.

Male Chinese names

For boys, since ancient times, meanings have been chosen that symbolize:

• Provision of life's goods.
• Physical qualities.
• Character qualities.
• Noble goals and professions.
• Landscape elements.
• Parting words.

It is very interesting and original when a person reaches certain heights in things associated with his name. A very beautiful legend is widespread in China, according to which the mother of General Yue Fei named him that way when a whole flock of swans landed on the roof during childbirth. She chose a hieroglyph for it that means “flight.” The general became famous for the lightning-fast reaction and mobility that his troops possessed.

Possible options:

• Bingwen – bright.
• Bay - light.
• Xiu – thinking about the environment.
• Yusheng – active.
• Liwei is the owner of greatness.
• Yun is brave.
• Demin is a merciful soul.
• Jaemin - Coup.
• Lao – Mature.
• Xu – responsible.

*If desired, you can use male characters in female names. It became popular in the context of growing feminism.

Chinese surnames

The modern system allows a child to inherit the surname of either parent. This system is similar to the one used in Russia. Mostly the child takes the father's surname, but sometimes the mother's.

10 most common Chinese surnames:

1. Wang.
2. Zheng.
3. Zhao.
4. Zhou.
5. Xun.

It is difficult to imagine that there are more than 400 million people in the Celestial Empire alone who have the first two surnames.

How many surnames are there in China?

Due to the difficult situation associated with the small variety of surnames, the state registry, which provides a list of possible options, has been expanded. Previously, it included only one hundred characters that could be written, but now this number has been increased several times. However, this reform will not be able to solve the current situation, when approximately one tenth of the Chinese population has the surname “Li”.

Popular Chinese names

The spirit of the times has always been a decisive factor determining all aspects of fashion. According to the census, certain sets of characters are popular, such as:

Men's

• Mingli is dazzlingly light.
• Wenyan is gentle with others.
• Lay - thunder.
• Minsch is sensitive and wise.
• Janji is attractive.
• Xanling is not empty beauty.
• Zen is exciting.
• Xiobo is a short warrior.
• Zangzhon is tall and soft.
• Dzengshen – someone who wants to achieve more.

Women's

• Xiozhi is a small rainbow.
• Xiokin - light blue.
• Zhu - a lot.
• Hua – happiness.
• Xioli – young jasmine.
• Rulin - latent jade.
• Xiolian is a young lotus.
• Xiatong - morning bell.
• Xiaphan - dawn.
• Maoning is a great victory.

Chinese rare names

There are several thousand Chinese names; their large number does not allow us to rank the rarest ones. There are even those that are present in one copy. This may be a specific set of characters, such as "Waosinjonghareto". If you literally translate it, you get “Born in the morning in a village near the yellow river.” And there are hundreds of such options.

The ones that attract more attention are those that, in their writing, may seem common to residents of China but may be unique to Russians. The following combinations have become the heroes of many jokes and funny stories:

• Sun Wyn.
• Chew Yourself.
• Get up Sun.

Chinese names in English

A big problem when learning the ancient Chinese language is the lack of letters and some combinations of sounds. Therefore, it is much more difficult for the Chinese to pronounce people’s names that are unfamiliar to them. But this matter is much easier for them. The wide variety of phonetic tools that can be used to transcribe Chinese names allows you to pronounce them almost like a native speaker.

Transcription:

• Hua - Hua.
• Lei - Lei.
• Xun - Sun.
• Xanling - Ksanling.
• Demin - Demin.
• Ksiozhi - Ksiozhi.
• Maoning - Maoning.
• Zen - Dzen.
• Xiobo - Ksiobo.
• Dzengshen - Dzengshen.

It's actually quite simple. It is enough to know the English alphabet.

Russian female names

The Chinese writing system is somewhat limited in the variety of sounds. There is no alphabet in the Celestial Empire; it is replaced by a syllabic system for composing words. This causes problems for the Chinese because they are not used to pronouncing certain sounds found in other languages. Therefore, the Chinese pronounce and write some foreign names in such a way that even the owner cannot always immediately recognize his name.

Russian female names:

• Alexandra - Ali shan de la.
• Alice - Ay li sy.
• Anastasia - An na sy ta si ya.
• Nastya - Na sy jia.
• Valentina - Wa lun ti na.
• Veronica - Wei lo ni ka.
• Galina - Jia Li Na.
• Evgenia - E fu gen ni ya.
• Elizabeth - Ye Li Zai Wei Ta.
• Christina - Ke Li Si Ji Na.

The first time you hear such a name, you just think that the Chinese are just communicating with each other.

Do the Chinese have middle names?

The Chinese do not have a middle name, but they do have “Hao”. This is a nickname that a person takes for himself to highlight his individuality. The tradition of taking hao dates back to ancient times. This is how monarchs tried to stand out at court. Hao often passed from father to son.

Chinese second name

After reaching a certain age, 20 years for men and 15-17 years for women, the Chinese acquire the nickname "Zi". It is used to address neighbors, close friends and relatives. This can be called a family nickname, which is not mentioned in documents.

Unique Features

Almost all Chinese surnames consist of only one syllable. They originate from the time of the birth of the tradition of inheritance. Rulers gave rise to surnames related to power, and artisans took hieroglyphs from the name of their type of activity.
Women do not change their surnames after marriage. However, they can modify it by adding the hieroglyph for husband.

Combination of first and last name

The sound of Chinese surnames and given names is very important. Carefully selected syllables should be combined into a harmonious sentence, which parents think about for a long time. Even a wedding is not a reason to change your last name.

Names that define character

Chinese characters that define character have become popular. The Chinese believe that a person’s fate is determined by their name, which is why the following hieroglyphs have become popular:

• G – Lucky.
• Hu - Lioness.
• Xiong - Talent.
• Shu – justice.

You can list them until the evening, because any adjective in Chinese can become a name.

Names associated with beauty

The main feature of female names is that they should make the girl more beautiful and interesting. Therefore, the following have been popular for centuries:

• Ganghui - Irresistible.
• Lilzhan - Beauty.
• Meixiu – grace.
• Meiron is a success.
• Lihu - August.

Gems and female names

Also popular are Chinese characters denoting valuable minerals and metals, such as:

• Jin is gold.
• Ubi is an emerald.
• Mingjo – pearl.

They are usually a complement for creating names. A good example is the name "Lilin", which translates to beautiful jade.

Change of names

Upon reaching a certain age, in China it is customary to give various names - nicknames that are used when addressing loved ones. These include:

• Min. Basics.
• Sao-min. The baby's childhood nickname.
• Sue-min. School nickname.
• Gong-min. Student.
• Hao. Possible nickname.

However, only the Ming was noted in official Chinese documents.

China is a country of unique culture. Their religion, traditions and culture are so far from ours! In this article we will talk about Chinese names, the choice of which in the Celestial Empire is still treated with special trepidation.

Exclusivity did not save the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire; they did not escape the fashion for borrowed names. But even in this, the Chinese remained true to their traditions. They famously adjusted the “imported” names to match the tone of their own. Elinna - Elena, Li Qunsi - Jones. There are even names with Christian origins. For example, Yao Su My means Joseph in translation, and Ko Li Zi Si means the name George.

In China, there is a tradition of giving posthumous names. They sum up the life lived and reflect all the deeds committed by a person in this world.

How to contact a resident of the Middle Kingdom?

Chinese addresses are somewhat unusual to our ears: “Director Zhang”, “Mayor Wang”. A Chinese person will never use two titles when addressing a person, for example, “Mr. President.” He will say "President Obama" or "Mr. Obama." When addressing a saleswoman or maid, you can use the word “Xiaojie.” This is similar to our "girlfriend".

Chinese women do not take their husband's surname after marriage. This does not interfere with “Mistress Ma” and “Mr. Wang” in life at all. These are the laws of the country. Foreigners are most often addressed by name, adding a polite title if they do not know the person’s profession or position. For example, “Mr. Mikhail.” And no middle name! He's simply not here!

The Chinese are carriers of a great ancient culture. Although China is a developed country and occupies not the last place in the world market, it seems that the inhabitants of the sunny state live in some kind of special world, preserving national traditions, their own way of life and a philosophical attitude towards the environment.