Chinese Names, Surnames & Characters
Practical explanations for English readers: meanings, pinyin, usage tips, and internal links across surnames, characters, name lists, and guides.
Top surnames
View allWang (王) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Wang (王) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Li (李) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Li (李) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Zhang (张) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Zhang (张) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Liu (刘) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Liu (刘) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Chen (陈) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Chen (陈) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Yang (杨) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Yang (杨) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Huang (黄) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Huang (黄) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Zhao (赵) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Zhao (赵) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Wu (吴) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Wu (吴) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Zhou (周) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Zhou (周) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Xu (徐) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Xu (徐) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Sun (孙) Surname Meaning & Origin
surnameThis page explains the Chinese surname Sun (孙) for English readers, including pronunciation, spelling notes, and practical usage tips.
Common characters
View all功 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 功 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
努 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 努 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
奋 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 奋 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
柔 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 柔 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
温 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 温 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
坚 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 坚 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
敢 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 敢 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
界 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 界 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
未 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 未 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
梦 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 梦 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
望 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 望 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
幸 Character Meaning, Pinyin & Name Usage
characterThis page explains the Chinese character 幸 for English readers, including pronunciation, meaning, and how it’s used in names.
Name lists
View allJie Chen (杰晨) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Chen (杰晨) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Xuan (杰轩) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Xuan (杰轩) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Kai (杰凯) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Kai (杰凯) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Yu (杰宇) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Yu (杰宇) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Tao (杰涛) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Tao (杰涛) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Jun (杰军) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Jun (杰军) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Lei (杰磊) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Lei (杰磊) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Qiang (杰强) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Qiang (杰强) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Jie Wei (杰伟) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Jie Wei (杰伟) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Chao Hao (超昊) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Chao Hao (超昊) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Chao Chen (超辰) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Chao Chen (超辰) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Chao Si (超思) Chinese Name Meaning & Usage
namesThis page explains the Chinese given name Chao Si (超思) for English readers: meaning, pronunciation, and practical naming tips.
Latest guides
View allChinese Name Etiquette: Addressing someone properly (practical guide)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand chinese name etiquette: addressing someone properly (practical guide)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Nicknames & Courtesy Names: What English readers should know (with examples)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand nicknames & courtesy names: what english readers should know (with examples)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
How to Use Surname Pages for Name Ideas (for parents)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand how to use surname pages for name ideas (for parents)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Pinyin Initials & Finals: why some sounds confuse (with examples)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand pinyin initials & finals: why some sounds confuse (with examples)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Pinyin vs Wade–Giles vs Cantonese Romanization (2026 edition)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand pinyin vs wade–giles vs cantonese romanization (2026 edition)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
How to Avoid Unintended Meanings in a Chinese Name (for parents)
guideThis guide helps English readers understand how to avoid unintended meanings in a chinese name (for parents)—with practical steps, examples, and common pitfalls to avoid.
How to use this site
1) Start with a surname
Pick a spelling you’ll use on documents. Keep the Chinese character as the anchor.
2) Choose characters for meaning & vibe
Use the Character library to avoid awkward meanings and confirm tone marks.
3) Use name lists & guides
Browse curated combinations, then read guides for practical pitfalls and best practices.
Homepage FAQ
Do tones matter in English spelling?
Usually you can omit tone marks, but keep the tone in notes. For official documents, use the spelling on your passport/ID consistently.
Why do I see multiple spellings for the same surname?
Different romanization systems and dialect pronunciations can produce different spellings. The safest anchor is the Chinese character.
How do I avoid awkward meanings in a Chinese name?
Check the character meaning in context and look at common pairings. Our guides and character pages focus on nuance and pitfalls.
Can two people share the same pinyin but different characters?
Yes. Pinyin can collide across characters. When accuracy matters, always store the hanzi alongside the spelling.
Where should I start if I’m totally new?
Start with Guides, then browse Names for practical combinations, and verify each character’s tone and nuance in Characters.