What are the differences between Chinese names and English names?

Chinese names are structured differently from names in English. Family names come first, and are only one syllable long. Given names – what we usually call first names – are either one or two characters long. So for example Mao Zedong’s family name is Mao and his given name is Zedong.

How do Westerners get Chinese names?

Western names are widely used by Chinese-speaking people, in addition to their Chinese names, even though they are not used for official identification. These names might be chosen by either teachers or parents, and sometimes even by one’s own self.

How are Chinese names chosen?

The family name (or ‘surname’) is inherited from one’s parents and shared with other members of the individual’s immediate family . It always comes before the given name and is usually a single syllable/Chinese character. The given name (or ‘personal name’) is chosen at birth as the individual’s personal identifier.

Is Xiao a male or female name?

Meaning of the name Xiao Xiao is a unisex Chinese name and has many meanings including ‘dawn, morning’, ‘little’ or ‘respectful, reverent’. It can also be used in with a person’s last name to call younger generation eg with a surname Chan, anyone that is older will call the younger person Xiao Chan.

Is WU a male or female name?

Wu – Girl’s name meaning, origin, and popularity | BabyCenter.

How do Chinese people choose their Western names?

As an old Chinese saying goes: “One does not fear if he/she has a bad fate; what one fears most is to have a bad name,” Chinese speakers use different mechanisms in the process of choosing their Western names. Some people choose Western names that resemble their original Chinese ones, either in terms of pronunciation or meaning.

What are the most common first names in China?

Though Chinese speakers can be very creative with Western names, the more common first names are still very popular, such as John, Jack, Tim, Jane, Mary and Christine. It should also be noted that not only names from the US and the UK, but other European names or even Japanese names are also not unusual among Chinese speakers.

Why are English names so hard to pronounce in China?

For many, English names are informal haos that represent another layer of identity. Admittedly, some Chinese names are really difficult to pronounce. For instance, westerners find it tricky to pronounce names starting with ‘x’, which sounds a little like ‘sh’ in Chinese, or ‘c’ which is pronounced ‘tz’.

What is the difference between Chinese and English names?

There is an embarrassing mistake for the English name. Chinese put family name in front of given name, for example, Wang Yi Ti, Wang is the family name and Yi Ti is the given name. Many Chinese to confront to the English tradition, they use the name as Yi Ti Wang.