How surname order, characters, sound, generation and social context make a Chinese name meaningful.
17 guides · Page 2 of 2
Familiar address
What Do Xiao, Lao and A Mean?
Relative age · hierarchy · word order · region
Reduplicated names
Why Do Chinese Nicknames Repeat?
Affection · child-directed speech · complete given names
Pinyin and characters
Why Can the Same Pinyin Mean Different Names?
Tone loss · homophones · identity records
Foreign names
How Should You Write a Foreign Name in Chinese?
Public rendering · chosen name · passport spelling
Historical names
What Were Ming, Zi, and Hao?
Personal name · courtesy name · literary name