Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T22:32:42.353Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

CHAP. XVI - CHINESE PROPER NAMES

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2010

Get access

Summary

Nothing perhaps can sound more comical to the unaccustomed ear than the monotonous “ching, chong, chow, fee, fo, fum,” of which sounds, with others like them, the Chinese syllabary appears principally to consist. Yet the Chinese symbols possess a wealth of meaning and expression of which few, if any, languages can boast; and in none perhaps are the proper names so universally composed of words which form part and parcel of the language itself. Consequently Chinese names, both of men and places, always have a meaning, and a large proportion of them are represented by words in common use.

Chinese surnames, which, as I have remarked in a former chapter, are but limited in number, are as a rule composed of but one character. Names are generally made up of two, and characters having a felicitous meaning are always selected. The surname always precedes the names. For example, supposing a man's name to be Kung, “Palace,” and his names Pao Yeng, “Precious Recompense,” his card would indicate him as Kung Paoyeng, “Palace Precious Recompense.” Another man's surname may be Wang, “King,” and his name Ta Leuh, “Great Six,” probably from his being a sixth child or son. He would be styled Wang Taleuh.

In some provinces it is common amongst intimates to add the familiar prefix of Ah to the second character of the name: as, for example, the two persons just named would be severally called, Ahyeng and Ahleuh.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010
First published in: 1872

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×