Questions tagged [names]
Questions related to Chinese names.
117
questions
1
vote
2answers
23 views
What would be a proper Chinese name for someone meaning “achieving purpose/ambition?”
I'm an American writing a novel in English and I have a Chinese character I want to give a real Chinese name. I'd like his name to mean something along the lines of "will," "purpose,&...
3
votes
1answer
218 views
In the film 流浪地球, why is a character nicknamed '户口'?
The most common translation of '户口' seems to be 'household registration system'. The other meanings do not fit either:
https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E6%88%...
2
votes
2answers
86 views
Describing and meaning of the name 楚胜天
My first question is similar to Lil ol' 阮天文's post regarding how to describe my name, 楚胜天. Most native speakers have me repeat myself several times or write it down before understanding me, it would ...
4
votes
2answers
93 views
Stylistic assessment of a Western first name as the basis for a Chinese name
I need some help from native speakers who can provide critique of the following practice.
Imagine that someone is called Martin Schneider (fictional example) and is the head of the China department at ...
2
votes
4answers
101 views
How do you refer to multiple people with the same surname?
I was wondering if Chinese people ever get confused addressing multiple people with the same last name.
For example, let's say you are at a gathering and you meet many people who are from the same ...
-1
votes
3answers
95 views
Is 塔拉費薩爾 an appropriate transliteration of my name?
My name is Talha Faisal when I try to translate my name into Chinese (traditional) language, I got 塔拉費薩爾 Ta la fei sar not Talha Faisal
How can I write my name in Chinese?
3
votes
5answers
178 views
How do friends use each other's name?
How do people (especially in Taiwan) use their names when talking among friends, for example, in University?
I've previously heard that some people always use the complete name when addressing other ...
0
votes
2answers
98 views
What does my Chinese name 林惠妃 mean?
I was adopted from China at 11 months and was given a name in the orphanage. My Chinese name is 林惠妃。I study Chinese currently, and am just unsure of the meaning of my name. I have been given some ...
2
votes
1answer
73 views
Adopting an appropriate Chinese name
I'm starting to learn Mandarin and I'd like to adopt a Chinese name. I wonder if 滿熊汗 (Mǎn Xiónghán) would be an appropriate one.
I've read that 滿 is a surname with Manchu ethnic origin, and I know ...
2
votes
5answers
197 views
How would you describe the Chinese name 阮天文?
When a name is introduced such as 阮天文, native speakers might want to know what the characters are, so they can spell it. Does it make sense if you were to say 天气的天, 文化的文?
However, what would be a good ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Is there a shorten formed of the name for Polish złoty?
The name for the Polish currency złoty is this in Chinese:
波兰兹罗提
Most currencies also have abbreviations. The obviously inapplicable shortened form would be:
波罗
Possible contractions might ...
4
votes
1answer
167 views
What did Eastern Han Chinese sound like?
As I was improving an answer to this question in the History SE, I discovered that the prestige Luoyang dialect of the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms period didn't actually fall under Old Chinese but ...
0
votes
2answers
73 views
Translate Name and Street address in China
Please help me translate the following:
Contact Name:
何卓宛
Street Address:
天府大道北路1700号环球中心N2 4栋1单元16层05号
Street Address 2:
City: cheng du shi
State/Province/Region: si chuan sheng
Country/Region: ...
2
votes
4answers
107 views
Algorithm for finding names in Chinese texts
I am writing an application for extraction information from Chinese texts. One of the tasks is finding names (personal, geographical or something else). The algorithm is not required to find all 100% ...
1
vote
3answers
79 views
Database of Chinese translations of given names?
Is there a comprehensive/official list of Chinese transliterations of given names (i.e. first names)? I know that I can transliterate on my own, but such a database is useful because:
I can look up ...
0
votes
3answers
81 views
Which (if any) of these name ideas sound native? Which sound foreign?
At work I've gained the nickname "Oreo Boy" because everyone's twice my age or older (hence the "boy") and I've got a noticeable habit of stuffing my face with junk from the vending machine (hence the ...
1
vote
4answers
177 views
How can I make a two-character Chinese girl's name, perhaps using 静?
I'd like to make a chinese name (girl). I wonder if you could help me, since I don't know what wouldn't be weird for a name. If any native speaker could help me, I'd appreciate it.
I want a name that ...
1
vote
3answers
94 views
At what age is it inappropriate to call people 小李, 小王, 小刘, etc.? And is it different for males and females?
It's common for children to be referred to as 小李, 小王, 小刘, etc. in Chinese (basically 小[姓], where [姓] is the family name).
I expect there is a certain age where it's no longer appropriate to call ...
0
votes
1answer
122 views
Is 憨豆先生 (Mr. Bean) commonly used to refer to Rowan Atkinson even when he's playing other characters, or when he's not acting?
Among the characters Rowan Atkinson has portrayed on TV and in movies is Mr. Bean, 憨豆先生 in Chinese. My impression is that people always call him 憨豆先生 (Mr. Bean) regardless of what role he is playing, ...
0
votes
2answers
87 views
Is 节列俄阿木 a name?
In Xi Jinping's 2018/2019 New Year Address there is this phrase:
我看望了彝族村民吉好也求、节列俄阿木两家人
The official (?) translation is only vague:
"I visited the families of two villagers from the Yi people"
I ...
2
votes
1answer
193 views
Does 波傲蟀 sound like a natural name?
Since I am a westerner and I study Chinese, I am currently undergoing the hard task of choosing a Chinese name for myself. The last thing I want to do is to simply translate my Italian name in Chinese....
0
votes
1answer
207 views
How do you pronounce the name “Liqun”
The title already describes what i would like to know.
How to pronounce the Chinese name Liqun.
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Conventions for indicating a surname
When I write to other Americans about Chinese colleagues the name order is often confusing. As a made up example, (so as not to use a real person's name) if someone's name is Chiao Chien then even ...
0
votes
1answer
315 views
How do names translate between Mandarin and Cantonese?
Firstly I assume (correct me if I'm wrong) that there are always multiple ways to say a Chinese name because the pronunciation depends on the dialect being spoken. I'm curious about how this works.
...
1
vote
3answers
89 views
Are there distinctions between the various terms for “Confucius” (孔子, 孔丘, 仲尼)?
There seems to be at least three ways of saying "Confucius" in Chinese:
孔子 (Kǒngzǐ)
孔丘 (Kǒngqiū)
仲尼 (Zhòngní) with some variants:
字仲尼 (Zì Zhòngní)
孔仲尼 (Kǒng Zhòngní)
(There's possibly more I'm ...
2
votes
2answers
172 views
Do the names 远宁, 温宁, 文宁, or 玟宁 sound good for a male character?
I have so much with trouble finding Chinese names it's beyond shameful. I always worry about the name sounding nonsensical or just evoking the feeling of "say what? O_o"
Anyways, I'll have to trouble ...
0
votes
2answers
63 views
Etymology of foreign names translated to Chinese
I am looking for a resource that explains the translation of English names to Chinese. In this case i am trying to understand why Broadway is translated to 百老汇。
Anyone knows? Thanks in advance.
1
vote
1answer
119 views
Commonalities in Hong Kong place names
I've been in Hong Kong long enough to notice some patterns appearing in the names of Hong Kong's places. Most of the places had 角 or 灣 in them.
For example:
角: 旺角, 大角嘴, 北角, 沙頭角
灣: 灣仔, 西灣河, 銅鑼灣, 荃灣
...
0
votes
1answer
102 views
Is it ok to use colour character in name (not surname character)?
Is it ok to use colour in mordern Chinese names (I don't mean surname like 黃，白）
For example, there is a name like 叶红鱼，but she seems to be a person from a tale. So I guess is there any mordern names ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
Characters for foreign names / places
Non-Chinese names and places are usually transliterated by using similar sounding characters.
Assuming that no established Chinese transliteration exists for a certain family or place name, and ...
0
votes
3answers
126 views
Help with names for ancient Chinese novel characters
I would like some help determining if these names are good/appropriate/authentic for male characters in an ancient Chinese story?
(从霜)
(千秋)
(兰韵)
(清绝)
(飞流)
(花箨)
(飞瑶)
(忘机)
I would also like to ...
1
vote
2answers
105 views
Is it possible to shorten 你叫什么名字? to 你叫什么?
Is it possible to shorten 你叫什么名字? to 你叫什么?
Will it still mean the same? Or it is possible to reply to 你叫什么? with something different, not just Surname+Name?
你叫什么? - 叫我‘你的噩夢’ :)
1
vote
3answers
98 views
How to ask about chinese firstname?
How to ask about chinese firstname?
E.g.
What is your name /fullname/? - 你叫什麽名字？- 我叫李燕 /lastname + firstname/。
Whan is your surname? - 你貴姓？ - 我姓李。
What is your name /firstname/? - [Chinese version of ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
Is the pronunciation of a heteronym in a given name indeterminable unless we ask the person personally?
There are tones of heteronyms in Chinese and when a heteronym is a given name, or a part of a given name, is asking the person (or his friends, relatives, etc.) the only way to find the pronunciation?
...
2
votes
2answers
478 views
Why the surname 유 (Yoo) is translated as 刘 instead of 余 or 于？
유창혁 (Yoo Changhyuk) is translated as 刘昌赫 in Chinese. Is there any reason that 유 is translated as 刘 instead of 余 or 于?
1
vote
1answer
287 views
“Sheng” as a male given name
Apparently there are quite a lot of characters that are pronounced as "sheng". (According to Pleco: 生、声、省、升、胜、圣、剩，盛、牲、绳、笙、甥、嵊、眚、乘、昇、晟、渑、㗂，呏，曻、泩、陞、鼪)
Which of these could plausibly be used as a (...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
What is the usage with these names?
The TV movies 流星花園 made in 2001 and 2008 have characters named 道明寺, 花澤類, and 藤堂靜, who are usually called 寺, 類, and 靜. I think those are just the second syllables of the two-syllable given names. ...
1
vote
2answers
133 views
When 少 is used in someone's name, is it always pronounced shào？
少 can either be pronounced as shào or shǎo. But when used in names, is it always pronounced as shào?
0
votes
1answer
51 views
What are the surnames and given names of these fictional people of the Three Kingdoms?
金環三結,董荼那,阿會喃,忙牙長
What are their surnames and given names. For example, is 董 the surname of 董荼那?
0
votes
2answers
119 views
An extremely rare same name used by two people
The rare name 澹台灭明 is used by two people:
A disciple of Confucious.
A character is one of Liang Yusheng's novels.
As I understand, the surname 澹台 and the given name 灭明 are both extremely rare in ...
2
votes
4answers
341 views
Is the female name 桂英 outdated? Why?
I suggested naming a Chinese baby girl 桂英 after her grandmother but my suggestion was rejected as the name was considered outdated. I know there is a legendary heroine named 穆桂英 and the name 桂英 is ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Different given names in Chinese and English
Chinese business persons often have a different given name in English than in Chinese. For example, Tencent founder Ma Huateng is internationally known as Pony Ma while his co-founder Zhang Zhidong is ...
0
votes
2answers
120 views
Using 滿喜由 as a male name in Mainland China
I am a foreigner with a difficult name. Could I use 滿喜由 as a full male name in Mainland China without causing too much hassle in communication?
How does 滿喜由 sound to native chinese speakers?
4
votes
6answers
1k views
Help me choose a Chinese name from a list of ideas
My English name does not transliterate well to Mandarin, so I'm choosing a Chinese name. I want it to evoke wisdom, inner strength, peace, beautiful and serene elements of nature, and poetry.
I'm new ...
0
votes
2answers
78 views
I would be grateful if anyone can translate/identify the artist of this Chinese “Farmers' Art” painting
The attached image is of a painting of the genre known as Chinese Farmers' / Chinese Peasants'/ or Chinese 'naive" paintings. But I cannot de-code the signature and seal, so would be most grateful if ...
3
votes
3answers
194 views
Help choosing a Chinese name among a few shortlisted ones
(I'm not actually certain my request fits here, as I'm looking for specific advice rather than answers to an abstract question. I'm sorry if it doesn't.)
I'm going to study in China for two years. ...
4
votes
3answers
307 views
How to determine if a personal name is feminine or masculine?
Sometimes when working with Chinese names it is not evidently clear whether the person in question is male or female.
Besides using pure, fallible, intuition - what other methods are there to tell if ...
8
votes
1answer
831 views
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo known as “C罗” in Chinese?
I see Cristiano Ronaldo is often referred as C罗 in Chinese. I find it curious because:
This is not a nickname pattern followed in any other player name, and
罗 isn't even part of the full name ...
5
votes
2answers
127 views
Why would 人 be used for names?
I've seen 人 used as a character in multiple names.
李劼人 is an example of a fairly well known person with the character 人 in his name.
It seems slightly jarring that 人 - person would be a feature of a ...
6
votes
2answers
240 views
Why do the Taiwanese have such strange characters for names?
It seems like every time I look up a CJK ext. B character it invariably says:
台湾人名用字。
For example I just looked up the character:
𢵓
zisea notes:
拼音peng2。台湾人名用字。
A few days ago I was ...
