One Hundred Names
Part of the Classical Chinese literature is the Hundred Family Names 百家姓 Bǎi jiā xìng. The Han Chinese have a small number of family names, and one colloquial way to refer to the Chinese people is as the 老百姓 Lǎo bǎi xìng Venerable hundred surnames or just 百姓 Bǎi xìng Hundred names. The term refers to the ‘ordinary working people’ not the government or rulers. There are actually 504 names in this list of names which dates back to the Song dynasty.
Young aspiring scholars would learn these names by heart, it is one way to pick up a few hundred characters. Most of the characters have meanings other than just the name, so learning the names is more useful than would otherwise seem; for example qián as well as being a family name also means money. The names are arranged in lines of usually eight names in rhyming couplets.
The names are not in order of frequency of the family names, although it is true that the more common ones are near the top. Some of the most common surnames in China are Wang 汪, Chen 陈, Li 李, Zhang 张 and Liu 刘. Towards the end of the list are some of the rarer two character family names.
Here is the full list of names, they are written in both the modern, simplified and traditional forms if they are different. If they are the same the first column character(s) works for both forms. You will find the second, traditional form in any documents pre-1960 and these are still in use in Taiwan, Hong Kong and by most overseas Chinese. The Chinese character(s) and Pinyin are followed by the meaning in English and after that different pronunciations of the character in other Chinese languages such as Cantonese, Hakka, Vietnamese, Malaysian. Because the spoken sound can vary it is important to track down the actual written character for the name so that family ancestry can be traced.
赵 趙Zhào go away rapidlyChew, Chieu, Chu, Chiu. Imperial family name of the Song dynasty. The legendary emperor 颛顼 Zhuān xū gave the county of Zhaocheng, Shaanxi as a gift and many people born there took the county as their family name. The eighth most common family Chinese name.
钱 錢Qián cashCh'ien. All descendents are named after an official working in the Imperial mint in early dynastic times.
孙 孫Sūn descendents, grandson. Sun Wu in the Warring States Period wrote the famous ‘Art of War’. Sun Yatsen is the most famous recent member of the family. Twelfth most common family name (2007).
李 Lǐ plumLee, Ly (Vietnam). Imperial family name of the Tang dynasty. It is the second most common surname just behind Wang with 92 million people (April 2007). A story says that the name 'plum' arose because the first Li survived persecution by eating plums. The Daoist philosopher Laozi is considered by many as the family's founder. Li Lisan was an early leader of the Communist party in China.
周 Zhōu encircleJoe, Chow. Zhou Dunyi is regarded as the inventor of the taiji figure. Zhou Enlai is the most famous recent family member. The Zhou dynasty lasted 790 years - the longest of all. The tenth most common name in China (2007).
吴 吳Wú Jiangsu Woo, Ng, Ang, Goh. Named after the short name for the province of Jiangsu - originally the state of Wu. Ninth most popular family name. Wu Cheng'en is famous for writing the ‘Journey to the West’.
郑 鄭Zhèng solemnCheng, Chung
王 Wáng ruler, kingWong, Heng, Ong. The most common surname in mainland China in April 2007 with 93 million people.
冯 馮Féng running horseFoong, Fung, Pang
陈 陳Chén displayChin, Chan, Tan. There was a Chen dynasty in the Period of Disunity. Fifth most common family name.
褚 Chǔ
卫 衛Wèi protect
蒋 蔣Jiǎng
沈 Shěn
韩 韓Hán
杨 楊Yáng poplar treeYoung, Ye, Yong, Yeung, Joeng. Imperial family name of the Sui dynasty. Sixth most common family name. Yang Guifei of the Tang dynasty is one of the best known family historical figures.
朱 Zhū scarletChu, Tu, Gee. Imperial family name of the Ming dynasty. 14th most common family name. Named after the small, ancient state of Zhu now within Shandong.
秦 Qín Imperial family name of the Qin dynasty.
尤 Yóu especially
许 許Xǔ permitHui, Huie, Hsu
何 Hé carryHor, Ko, Ho. 17th most common family name.
吕 呂Lǚ musical note
施 Shī give awaySze
张 張Zhāng open up (stretching a bow)Cheung, Chong, Teoh, Teo, Chiang, Cheong, Jong, Tiong. The third most common family name, rather like the English surname ‘Archer’ in meaning. the film director Zhang Yimou is one of the recent famous family members.
孔 Kǒng holeKung is the family name of Confucius, the Kung family claim the longest known family tree in the world.
曹 Cáo severalTow, Tso
严 嚴Yán fluid, strictYim
华 華Huà
金 Jīn gold
魏 Wèi Wei, Gooi
陶 Táo pleased, pottery
姜 Jiāng
戚 慼Qī relative
谢 謝Xiè thankDea, Der, Deer, Che, She, Tse, Tze
邹 鄒Zōu
喻 Yù analogy
柏 Bǎi cedar
水 Shuǐ water
窦 竇Dòu holeTou
章 Zhāng chapter
云 Yún cloud
苏 囌Sū revive
潘 Pān
葛 Gě
奚 Xī what
范 範Fàn model
彭 Péng
郎 Láng youth

韦 韋Wéi leather
昌 Chāng flatter
马 馬Mǎ horseMah, Mar. It is the 13th most common family name but the most common among the Hui minority people.
苗 Miáo sprout
凤 鳳Fèng phoenix
花 Huā blossom
方 Fāng square, regionFong
俞 Yú approve
任 Rèn appoint
袁 Yuán robe
柳 Liǔ willow
酆 Fēng
鲍 鮑Bào
史 Shǐ history
唐 Táng Tang dynasty
费 費Fèi expenses
廉 㢘Lián un-corrupt, reasonable
岑 Cén hillockSam, Sum, Shum, Tsen, Gim
薛 Xuē grassHsueh
雷 Léi thunderLouis, Lui
贺 賀Hè congratulate
倪 Ní
汤 湯Tāng soupTong, Hong
滕 Téng
殷 Yīn flourishing
罗 羅Luó gather, arrange Law, Loh, Lo, Lao. 20th most common family name (2007).
毕 畢Bì complete
郝 Hǎo
邬 鄔Wū
安 Ān peace, calm
常 Cháng often
乐 樂Lè happy, musicYue
于 Yú with, at/in
时 旹Shí time
傅 Fù tutor
皮 Pí skin
卞 Biàn hurried
齐 齊Qí even
康 Kāng ease, healthHong
伍 Wǔ battalionNg, Eng
余 Yú I, meYu, Yee
元 Yuán first, origin, currencyNgeun
卜 Bǔ to prospect
顾 顧Gù look about
孟 Mèng first
平 Píng level
黄 黃Huáng yellowWong, Hwang, Ng, Wee, Oei, Ooi, Bong, Huynh, Hwang. Seventh most common family name. An ancient name originating from one of the three Huang Kingdoms. The Yellow Emperor - Huangdi is considered the ancestor of all Chinese people.
Proverb
穆 Mù solemn
萧 蕭Xiāo mournfulSiew, Siu, Seow, Hsiao
尹 Yǐn rule
姚 Yáo
邵 Shào
湛 Zhàn deep water
汪 Wāng lake
祁 Qí
毛 Máo fur, hair Mao Zedong's family name
禹 Yǔ
狄 Dí barbarian
米 Mǐ uncooked rice
贝 貝Bèi cowrie shell
明 Míng clear, bright
臧 Zāng good
计 計Jì ruse, plan
伏 Fú conceal, submit
成 Chéng complete
戴 Dài wear
谈 談Tán discuss
宋 Sòng Name of the Song dynasty
茅 Máo thatch
庞 龐Páng huge
熊 Xióng bear (animal)
纪 紀Jǐ discipline
舒 Shū relax
屈 Qū wronged, bent
项 項Xiàng nape
祝 Zhù invoke
董 Dǒng supervise
梁 Liáng roof beam, bridgeLeong, Leung
杜 Dù fabricate
阮 Ruǎn
蓝 藍Lán basket
闵 閔Mǐn empathize
席 Xí banquet
季 Jì season
麻 蔴Má hemp, numb
强 強Qiáng
贾 賈Jiǎ
路 Lù road
娄 婁Lóu star
危 Wēi
江 Jiāng riverChiang, Gong
童 Tóng boy, child
颜 顏Yán color
郭 Guō city wallKwok, Gwok. 16th most common family name. It is derived from Prince Guo Shu, son of a Zhou dynasty king.
梅 Méi plumMoy, Mui, Bui
盛 Shèng flourish
林 Lín forest, woodsLam, Lim, Lum. 19th most common family name.
刁 Diāo wicked
钟 鍾Zhōng bell
徐 Xú slow, gradualShu, Shaw, Seah, Hsu, Shi, Choi.Named after the ancient state of Xu (northern Jiangsu). Eleventh most common family name (2007).
邱 Qiū moundKhu, Kau, Yau, Hui, Hew, Hiu
骆 駱Luò camel
高 Gāotall, highKao, Gou, Go. 18th most common family name.
夏 Xià summer
蔡 Cài Chai, Chua, Chye, Choy, Tsai
田 Tián field
樊 Fán cage
胡 Hú beard, recklessWu, Hu, Oh, Foo. 15th most common family name (2007)
凌 Líng advance, ice
霍 Huò
虞 Yú
万 萬Mòmyriad, ten thousandWan, Mon, Maan, Won
支 Zhī
柯 Kēbranches
昝 Zǎn
管 筦Guǎn control
卢 盧Lú
莫 Mò do not, is not
经 經Jīng
房 Fáng
裘 Qiú fur coat
缪 繆Miào
干 乹Gān dry
解 Xiè
应 應Yìng answer
宗 Zōng familyDung, Tsung
丁 Dīng 4th heavenly stem
宣 Xuān
贲 賁Bēn energeticBi
邓 鄧Dèng Teng, Tang, Thien, Thean, Thian
郁 欝Yù elegant
单 單Shàn
杭 Háng Hangzhou
洪 Hóng floodHung
包 Bāo wrap, coverGao
诸 諸Zhū many
左 Zuǒ left (as opposed to right)
石 Shí stone, rock
崔 Cuī high mountain, precipice
吉 Jí lucky
钮 鈕Niǔ button
龚 龔Gōng
100 Names
An old name for China is the 'Hundred Names' 百姓 reflecting the fact that the Han Chinese have very few family names. Of these ‘Li’ is the most common worldwide (92 million in China). In China ‘Wang’ may be slightly more common (93 million). Traditionally a man could not marry a woman with the same family name as it was assumed they must be related.Read more…
嵇 Jī inspect
邢 Xíng
滑 Huá cunning
裴 Péi
陆 陸Lù landLuk
荣 榮Róng gloriousWing, Wheng
翁 Wēng old man
荀 Xún
羊 Yáng sheep, goat
於 Wū
惠 Huì favor
甄 Zhēn form
曲 Qū
家 傢Jiā home, family
封 Fēng grant, confer
芮 Ruì small
羿 Yì
储 儲Chǔ savings
靳 Jìn
汲 Jí fetch water
邴 Bǐng happy
糜 Mí dissolved
松 Sōng loose
井 Jǐng pit
段 Duàn portion
富 Fù rich, good fortune
巫 Wū wizard
乌 烏Wū crow, black
焦 Jiāo scorched
巴 Bā hope
弓 Gōng longbow
牧 Mù shepherd
隗 Kuí Kui, Wei
山 Shān mountain
谷 穀Gǔ valley
车 車Chē vehicle
侯 Hóu marquis
宓 Mì silent
蓬 Péng disheveled
全 Quán entire
郗 Chī
班 Bān class
仰 Yǎng admire, respect
秋 Qiū autumn, fall
仲 Zhòng
伊 Yī he/she
宫 宮Gōng palace
宁 寕Nìng peaceful
仇 Qiú matchQiu, Chou
栾 欒Luán
暴 Bào cruel
甘 Gān sweet, pleasant
钭 鈄Tǒu Dou, Tou
厉 厲Lì severe
戎 Róng weapon
祖 Zǔ ancestor
武 Wǔ martial
符 Fú coincide
刘 劉Liú killLau, Lou, Low, Lew. Imperial family name of the Han dynasty. Fourth most common name (2007).
景 Jǐng bright, sceneryYing
詹 Zhān excellentChaim
束 Shù bind
龙 龍Lóng dragonLung, Loong
叶 葉Yè leaf, pageYeh, Yap, Yep, Yip
幸 倖Xìng fortunate
司 Sī company
韶 Sháo harmonious
郜 Gào
黎 Lí blackLi, Lai, Le
蓟 薊Jì
薄 Bó slight, thin
印 Yìn print
宿 㝛Sù former
白 Bái gratuitous
怀 懷Huái cherish
蒲 Pú
邰 Tái
从 從Cóng unhurried
鄂 È Hubei
索 Suǒ isolated
咸 Xián all
籍 Jí register
赖 賴Lài disclaim, depend on
卓 Zhuó surpassing, distinguished
蔺 藺Lìn
屠 Tú slaughter
蒙 濛Méng hoodwink
池 Chí pond
乔 喬Qiáo tall
阴 陰Yīn cloudy, negative
郁 欝Yù melancholy
胥 Xū assist
能 Néng energy
苍 蒼Cāng dark blue
双 雙Shuāng pair
闻 聞Wén hear
莘 Shēn
党 黨Dǎng
翟 Zhái Zhe, Di
谭 譚Tán chatTam, Ham, Hom, Hum, Thom, Tom
贡 貢Gòng gift
劳 勞Láo toil
逄 Páng
姬 Jī concubine
申 Shēn 9th earthly branch, extend
扶 Fú support
堵 Dǔ wall, stifle
冉 冄Rǎn
宰 Zǎi govern, slaughter
郦 酈Lì
雍 Yōng harmonious
却 㕁卻Xì
璩 Qú jade ring
桑 Sāng mulberry
桂 Guì laurel, cassia
濮 Pú
牛 Niú cow, ox
寿 壽Shòu long life, age
通 Tōng know well, expert
边 邊Biān side, border
扈 Hù retinue
燕 Yān
冀 Jì Hebei
郏 郟Jiá
浦 Pǔ river bank, shore
尚 Shàng esteemSheung
农 農Nóng peasant, diligent
Ancient palace from over 5,000 ago
A continuing archeological dig has pushed back the history of Chinese palaces by another 1,000 years. Not so long ago it was considered that a complex settled civilization in China only went back about 3,000 years. The latest discoveries at Shuanghuaishu in Henan province, it is just to the north of Zhengzhou near the Yellow River. The remains found are hard to spot as they are mainly made of rammed earth, any stones would have been taken away and used in later buildings. A courtyard covering 8,611 sq feet [800 sq meters] has been found from over 5,000 years ago. which would have been in front of a royal palace. These remains predate the Xia dynasty (c.2100 - 1600BCE) and even before the birth of the Yellow Emperor (born c. 2718BCE)
style="text-align:center"> /> Archeological dig at Shuanghuaishu, Zhengzhou, photo credit href="https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202005/12/WS5eb9ee74a310a8b241154e84.html">China Dailyax>. div>Read full story…
Read all our news stories...
别 別Bié leave, classify
庄 Zhuāng village, farmstead
晏 Yàn quiet, late
柴 Chái firewood
瞿 Qú
阎 閻Yán village gate
充 Chōng satisfy, substitute
慕 Mù admire
连 連Lián join
茹 Rú eat, vegetables
习 習Xí practice
宦 Huàn eunuch
艾 Ài
鱼 魚Yú fish
容 Róng contain
向 Xiàng towards
古 Gǔ ancientKoo
易 Yì change
慎 Shèn careful
戈 Gē spear
廖 Liào Lew
庾 Yǔ
终 終Zhōng finish
暨 Jì reach
居 Jū reside
衡 Héng weigh, measure
步 Bù walk, march
都 Dū metropolis, all
耿 Gěng bright
满 滿滿Mǎn fill, pack
弘 Hóng liberal, great
匡 Kuāng aid, reformHong
国 國Guó nation, countryGok, Gauk, Gwock.
文 Wén literary
寇 㓂Kòu plunder, bandit
广 廣Guǎng wide, vast
禄 祿Lù good fortune
阙 闕Quē
东 東Dōng east
Proverb
殳 Shū spear
沃 Wò fertile, irrigate
利 Lì sharp, benefit
蔚 Yù impressive
越 Yuè surpass, exceed
夔 Kuí rain god
隆 Lóng intense, swell
师 師Shī teacher, master
巩 鞏Gǒng secure, solid
厍 厙Shè
聂 聶Niè whisper
晁 Cháo
勾 Gōu attract, collude, affair
敖 Áo ramble, rove
融 Róng melt

Next Festival
Friday 12th February 2021
Chinese New Year - Spring Festival (Chūnjié 春节)
Read more...
訾 Zī wealth, backbite
辛 Xīn hot, suffering
阚 闞Kàn glance, peep
那 Nā that, thenNuo
简 簡Jiǎn simple, letter
饶 饒Ráo abundant, bonus
空 Kōng empty, sky
曾 Zēng great-grandfatherTseng, Dont, Tsang, Cheng, Chng, Jeng.
毋 Wú nobody, no
沙 Shā sandSa
乜 Miē squint
养 養Yǎng
鞠 Jū bring up
须 須Xū mustache, beard
丰 Fēng luxuriant, buxom
巢 Cháo nest
关 關Guān shut, passKuan, Kwan, Quan.
蒯 Kuǎi a rush
相 Xiāng appearance, mutual
查 Zhā
后 Hòu behind, back
荆 荊Jīng thorns, brambles
红 紅Hóng red
游 Yóu roam, swim
竺 Zhú
权 權Quán power, authority
逯 Lù wandering
盖 蓋Gě lid, canopy
益 Yì
桓 Huán
公 Gōng public, common, male
万俟 Mò qí
司马 司馬Sī mǎ army generalSzema, Seema. Imperial family name of the Jin dynasty [265-316]
上官 Shàng guān superior
欧阳 歐陽Ōu yáng Europe, brightAuyong, Owyang
夏侯 Xià hóu
诸葛 諸葛Zhū gě
闻人 聞人Wén rén Famous person
东方 東方Dōng fāng the East
赫连 赫連Hè lián
皇甫 Huáng fǔ
尉迟 尉遲Yù chí(in other contexts the first character is pronounced 'wèi')
公羊 Gōng yáng ram
澹台 Tán tái
公冶 Gōng yě
宗政 Zōng zhèng
濮阳 濮陽Pú yáng
淳于 Chún yú
单于 單于Chán yú (in other contexts the first character is pronounced 'shàn')
太叔 Tài shū
申屠 Shēn tú
公孙 公孫Gōng sūn
仲孙 仲孫Zhòng sūn
轩辕 軒轅Xuān yuán
令狐 Líng hú
Testimonial
Unsolicited comment from a genuine Chinasage visitor.
宇文 Yǔ wén
长孙 長孫Zhǎng sūn
慕容 Mù róng
鲜于 尟于Xiān yú
闾丘 閭丘Lǘ qiū
司徒 Sī tú Sutu, Seto
司空 Sī kōng
丌官 Qí guān(in other contexts the first character is pronounced 'jī')
司寇 司㓂Sī kòu
仉 Zhǎng mother
督 Dū supervise
子车 子車Zǐ chē
颛孙 顓孫Zhuān sūn
端木 Duān mù
巫马 巫馬Wū mǎ
公西 Gōng xī
漆雕 漆彫Qī diāo
乐正 樂正Yuè zhèng
壤驷 壤駟Rǎng sì
公良 Gōng liáng
拓跋 Tuò bá
夹谷 夾穀Jā gǔ
宰父 Zǎi fù
谷梁 穀梁Gǔ liáng
晋 晉Jìn promote, advance
楚 Chǔ distinct, pain
闫 閆Yán
法 㳒Fǎ law, method
汝 Rǔ
鄢 Yān
涂 塗Tú smear, daub
钦 欽Qīn respect, venerate
段干 段乹Duàn gān
百里 百裏Bǎi lǐ
东郭 東郭Dōng guō
南门 南門Nán mén
呼延 Hū yán
归 歸Guī give back
海 Hǎi sea, ocean
羊舌 Yáng shé
微生 Wēi shēng
岳 Yuè high mountain
帅 帥Shuài handsome, graceful
缑 緱Gōu
亢 Kòng overbearing, (may be pronounced kàng)
况 況Kuàng
郈 Hòu
有 Yǒu have, exist
琴 Qín musical instrument
December Quiz 2020

Every month we are adding a new quiz to our ever increasing range of quizzes about China. Each monthly quiz has 15 general questions. We now maintain a league table so you can add your own score and amaze your friends! Try quiz...
左丘 Zuǒ qiū
东门 東門Dōng mén
西门 西門Xī mén
商 Shāng Shang dynasty; merchant
牟 Móu barley, obtain
佘 Shé
佴 Nài(in other contexts the character is pronounced 'èr')
伯 Bó uncle (may be pronounced (bà )
赏 賞Shǎng bestow
南宫 南宮Nán gōng
墨 Mò ink stick
哈 Hǎ laughter
谯 譙Qiáo ridicule
笪 Dá
年 Nián year
爱 愛Ài love, like
阳 陽Yáng yang as opposed to yin
佟 Tóng Tung
第五 Dì wǔ fifth
言 Yán speech
福 Fú Fujian, good fortune
百家姓终 百傢姓終Bǎi jiā xìng Zhōng 100 Chinese names complete