Choosing your Chinese first name is an important step for anyone learning Mandarin. But how to translate your first name into Chinese? In reality, you will need to find a brand-new name that will be easy to remember and pronounce by your Chinese-speaking friends and colleagues.In this article, we will help you find a Chinese name that will fit perfectly with your personality!
Find your Chinese name
Before you even find your first name, I advise you to start by finding your last name in Chinese. This usually contains only one character, which must marry phonetically and semantically with your first name. For example, the surname 江 (Jiāng, river) goes very well with the female name 映月 (Yìngyuè, reflection of the moon).
In China, there are only a hundred surnames. No need to be original: just choose a common name that is easy to remember. Then, you can show more fantasy for the choice of your first name!
Have a story to tell around your first name
The Chinese retain first names by association of ideas. So that your friends or colleagues remember your first name,For example you can evoke a trait of your personality (calm, dreamy, caring ...) Or, you can evoke a physical trait (large, small, blue if you have blue eyes).
If you are able to tell a story around your first name, it will also be more easily remembered. For example, if you were born in winter, you can add the character 冬 (Dōng) to your first name.
Female, male or mixed names
First names are very gendered in China. Girls will usually have poetic names, related to sweetness, beauty and tenderness. We will find characters like 春 (chūn = spring), 丽 (lì = beautiful), 华 (huā = perfume), etc.
Male names reflect strength and virility. For example, a boy's name could have characters like 强 (qiáng = strength), 敃 (mǐn = strong, robust), 隆 (lóng = tall, prosperous).
A human or physical quality
Chinese parents can also choose their child's first name based on a quality ，they want them to acquire as they grow up. For example, if they hope that their child will become a great scientist, they could call him 科伟 (Kēwĕi), whose 科 comes from 科学(kēxué, science) and the 伟 from 伟大 (wĕidà, great/famous).
A superstition
Some names are chosen because they bring good luck and announce a beautiful future to the child. For example, 飞鸿 (Fēihóng) literally means " a goose flying high in the sky ." When a relative names his son Fei Hong, he longs for a bright future.
The Chinese also like to consult psychics during the birth of their child. During the consultation, the psychic will check that the 5 elements will be well balanced in the child who will be born. If he notices an imbalance, he will advise parents to add character with the necessary element: fire, water, earth, wood or metal.
A sound
Other names are chosen because they sound poetic or sweet. For example, 翠菲(fěi cuì) is a pretty female name appreciated in China. The character 翠 (emerald) is also a safe bet to compose a girl's name in Chinese. 映月(Yìngyuè) is also a beautiful female name that means "reflection of the moon".
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