Chinese names are used in China and in Chinese communities throughout the world. Note that depending on the Chinese characters used these names can have many other meanings besides those listed here. See also about Chinese names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
PiuChinese 1 Chinese 牛: this name probably arose during the Zhou dynasty ( 1122–221 bc ) in the area of Gansu province; the details are unclear. It was borne by a person named Niu Wen, who was a descendant of the eldest brother of the last king of the Shang dynasty, Zhou Xin ( 1154–1123 bc ).... [more]
QiaoChinese Named after a Chinese mountain, Qiao Shan, where Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi was supposedly buried. This is the 96th most common surname in China.
Qiao乔, 喬Chinese From Chinese 喬 (qiáo) meaning "tall, lofty". It may also refer Qiao Shan, a mountain in present-day Shaanxi province where the legendary king Huang Di was supposedly buried.
Qin秦Chinese From Chinese 秦 (qín) referring to the ancient state of Qin, which existed from 221 BC to 206 BC in what is now the Gansu and Shaanxi provinces.
Qing青Chinese From Chinese 青 (qīng) meaning "blue, green, young".
Qiu邱, 丘Chinese From Chinese 邱 or 丘 (qiū) referring to a place called Yingqiu that existed in the state of Qi in what is now Shandong province. The name was originally written with the character 丘 until its usage was prohibited during the Qing dynasty in order to avoid a taboo caused by using the character of Confucius's given name, 丘... [more]
Qu屈Chinese From Chinese 屈 (qū) meaning "bent, crooked", also referring to the ancient fief of Qu, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Hubei province.
Quan权, 權Chinese From Chinese 权 (quán) referring to the ancient state of Quan, which existed during the Shang and Zhou dynasties in what is now Hubei province.
Rong容Chinese From Chinese 容 (róng) referring to a Zhou dynasty title used by officials who were in charge of managing rituals, music, and ceremonies. Alternately it may be derived from the name of the ancient state of Rong (location and time period unknown).
Rong荣, 榮Chinese From Chinese 荣 (róng) referring to the ancient fief of Rong, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.
Sang桑Chinese From Chinese 桑 (sāng) referring either to the ancient city of Qiong Sang, which existed in what is now Shandong province, or the ancient state of Sang, which existed in what is now Henan province and was annexed by the state of Qin.
Sha沙Chinese From Chinese 沙 (shā) referring to the ancient state of Sha, which was part of the state of Song during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Hebei province. Alternately it may come from Sha Sui, the name of a fief that was part of Song in what is now Henan province, or from Su Sha, the name of an ancient clan that inhabited parts of present-day Shandong province.
Shan山Chinese From the place name Shan. Cheng Wang, the second king (1115–1079 bc) of the Zhou dynasty, granted to a son the area of Shan, and the son’s descendants adopted the place name as their surname. It comes from the Chinese word meaning "mountain"... [more]
Shan单, 單Chinese From Chinese 单 (shàn) referring to the ancient state of Shan, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.
Shao邵Chinese From Chinese 邵 (shào) referring to the ancient fief of Zhao, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Shaanxi province. The name of the fief, 召, had the same pronunciation as the character 邵.
She佘Chinese From Chinese 佘 (shé), which is of unknown significance.
Sheng盛Chinese From Chinese 盛 (shèng) meaning "flourishing, prosperous", also referring to the ancient state of Sheng which existed during the Zhou dynasty in present-day Shandong province.
Tan谭, 譚Chinese From Chinese 谭 (tán) referring to the state of Tan that existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province.
Tan谈, 談Chinese From Chinese 谈 (tán) referring to the ancient vassal state of Tan, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province.
TsouTaiwanese Tsou is a last name commonly found in Taiwan among its Chinese community. It is the transliteration of a Chinese surname meaning: vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the southeast of Shandong Province.
Tu屠Chinese From Chinese 屠 (tú) referring either to Zou Tu, an ancient country that may have existed in what is now Shandong province, or the ancient fief of Tu, which existed during the Shang dynasty in what is now Shaanxi province.
Tu涂Chinese From Chinese 涂 (tú), the old name for the Chu River that runs through the present-day provinces of Anhui and Jiangsu.
Wen温, 溫Chinese From Chinese 温 (wēn) meaning "warm", also referring to any of several territories that were called Wen, namely an ancient state that existed during the Zhou dynasty.
Weng翁Chinese From Chinese 翁 (wēng) meaning "elderly man".
Xi习Chinese From Chinese 习 (xí) referring to an ancient territory named Xi, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in the Qin state in what is now Shangxian County, Shaanxi province. A notable berarer is Xi Jinping (1953-), the current president of China.
Xia夏Chinese From Chinese 夏 (xià) referring to the Xia dynasty, the first dynasty in Chinese history that is believed to have existed from 2070 to 1600 BC. According to legend, this name was adopted by the descendants of Yu the Great (who was also known as Xia Yu), a legendary king who supposedly founded the Xia dynasty.
Xiang向Chinese From Chinese 向 (xiàng) referring to the ancient state of Xiang, which existed during the Spring and Autumn period in what is now the Shandong province.
Xiang项, 項Chinese From Chinese 项 (xiàng) referring to the ancient state of Xiang, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.
XinChinese From the name of a state of Xin that existed during the Xia dynasty. King Qi (2197–2188 bc) granted this state to one of his sons, whose descendants adopted a modified form of the character for Xin as their surname.
XingChinese From the name of an area called Xing, which existed during in the Zhou dynasty (1122–221 bc). Descendants of the ruling family of this area adopted Xing as their surname. Another account of the origin derives it from an area named Pingxing.
XueChinese From the area of Xue, in present-day Shandong province. During the Xia dynasty (2205–1766 bc) an official with the title ‘chief of carts’ was granted this area. Much later, in the state of Qi during the Warring States period (403–221 bc) the same area was granted to a prince... [more]
Xūwáng須王Chinese A Chinese surname taken from combining 須 (xū) meaning "must, necessary" with 王 (wáng) meaning "king, monarch". It is the Chinese reading of the Japanese surname Suō.
Yin尹Chinese From Chinese 尹 (yǐn), a title for a ministerial position in ancient China. It may also refer to the ancient fief of Yin, which existed in what is now the province of either Shanxi or Henan.
Yin殷Chinese From Chinese 殷 (yīn) referring to the ancient city of Yin, which existed in what is now Henan province and served as the capital of the Shang dynasty (which reigned from 1600 to 1045 BC and was also called Yin).
Yin印Chinese From Chinese 印 (yìn) meaning "stamp, seal".
Yíng嬴Chinese (Rare) From the name of the royal house of the Qin Dynasty from the ancient Chinese state also known as Qin.
Ying应, 應Chinese From Chinese 应 (yīng) referring to the ancient state of Ying, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Henan province.
Yue岳Chinese From Chinese 岳 (yuè) referring to the ancient title Tai Yue (太岳), which was used by officials in charge of sacrificial rituals on mountain sites.
Zha查Chinese From Chinese 查 (zhā) referring to the ancient fief of Zha, which was part of the state of Qi during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province. Alternately it may come from the name of a fief that was part of the state of Chu during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Anhui province.
Zhai翟Chinese From Chinese 翟 (zhái) referring to the ancient state of Zhai, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shanxi province. The character 翟 was originally read as Di but was later changed to Zhai due to dialectal differences.
Zhuang庄Chinese From Chinese 莊 (zhuāng), the posthumous name of Xiong Lü, a king of the state of Chu that existed during the Zhou dynasty.
Zhuge諸葛Chinese One of the rare Chinese double character surnames. It is ranked 314th in the Hundred Family Surnames. The first character 諸 can be read as "all, these, various" and the second character 葛 as meaning "vine, vines"... [more]
Zhuo卓Chinese From Chinese 卓 (zhuó) meaning "outstanding, lofty".
Zong棕Chinese From Chinese 棕 (zōng) meaning "brown".
Zong宗Chinese From Chinese 宗 (zōng) meaning "lineage, ancestry". Perhaps it originally denoted a person who was a geneaolgist.
ZouChinese An ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty.
Zou邹, 鄒Chinese From Chinese 邹 (zōu) referring to the ancient state of Zou, which existed during the Zhou dynasty in what is now Shandong province.