One Hundred Names
Part of the canon of 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 names in China are Wang 王, Chen 陈, Li 李, Zhang 张 and Liu 刘. Towards the end of the list are some of the rarer two character family names. Although there are now about 3,000 family names only about 250 are common.
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 so much 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.
冯 馮Féng running horseFoong, Fung, Pang
陈 陳Chén displayChin, Chan, Tan.
卫 衛Wèi protect
沈 Shěn
韩 韓Hán
朱 Zhū scarletChu, Tu, Gee.
许 許Xǔ permitHui, Huie, Hsu
何 Hé carryHor, Ko, Ho.
施 Shī give awaySze
张 張Zhāng open up (stretching a bow)Cheung, Chong, Teoh, Teo, Chiang, Cheong, Jong, Tiong.
孔 Kǒng hole
华 華Huà
金 Jīn gold
魏 Wèi Wei, Gooi
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

昌 Chāng flatter
马 馬Mǎ horseMah, Mar
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
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.
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
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
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

War between Britain and China
The import of opium from India had a devastating effect on China. Although opium had been grown and used in China for centuries the import of huge quantities of the British controlled trade into Guangdong proved far more addictive. The two 'Opium Wars' between Britain, France and China 1839-1860 mark China's forced change in direction after thousands of year of dynastic rule. Defeat by a far away foreign power created turmoil in China and triggered the 'century of humiliation' from which China only emerged in 1949. Read more…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.
梅 Méi plumMoy, Mui, Bui
盛 Shèng flourish
林 Lín forest, woodsLam, Lim, Lum.
钟 鍾Zhōng bell
徐 Xú slow, gradualShu, Shaw, Seah, Hsu, Shi, Choi.
骆 駱Luò camel

高 Gāotall, highKao, Gou, Go.
蔡 Cài Chai, Chua, Chye, Choy, Tsai
樊 Fán cage
胡 Hú beard, recklessWu, Hu, Oh, Foo.
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

The People's Republic
Our coverage of the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) includes the background to the rise of the Communists under Mao Zedong, the Long March, the Cultural Revolution and leading up to present day China. We also include a section describing China's unique form of Communism. 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
Brother excluded from wedding
An incident at Zunyi in Guizhou province has sparked much online debate. It is here that a couple has chosen to go back to some age-old traditions for marriage.
One of the strangest of the many customs is that if you have a younger sibling (brother or sister) who marries before you do then you are excluded from the marriage ceremony. You are expected to hide away while everyone else was having fun.
Perhaps this tradition provides a strong encouragement to anyone delaying become married. Remaining single used to be a fairly rare event as marriages were typically arranged by parents without their children’s approval.
So in 2022 people are debating whether it is appropriate to bring this custom back again. What do you think?
Read full story…
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.
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
Goji Berries
A noted Chinese export are the nutritious and healthy berries grown in northern China. Ningxia province is noted for the production of Wolfberries now better known as Goji berries. In traditional medicine they are used for the treatment of high blood pressure.Read more…
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
郏 郟Jiá
浦 Pǔ river bank, shore
尚 Shàng esteemSheung
农 農Nóng peasant, diligent
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

Proverbs
we have an extensive range of Chengyu 成语 chéng yǔ - Chinese proverbs. We've categorized literally hundreds of these (usually four character) sayings into seventeen groups including love, skill, study and foolishness. You can also look up the Chinese equivalent to many well-known English proverbs.
Read more...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
Thursday 22nd June 2023
Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔjié 端午节)
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 general or minister of warSzema, Seema.
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

Chinese numbers
Learning the numbers in Chinese is easier than in many other languages. In our complete guide to the numbers we include the traditions associated them. Do you know why 4 is unlucky but 8 lucky? Read more…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 túMinister for Land and People Sutu, Seto
司空 Sī kōngMinister for Public Works
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
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

Chinese characters
Some Chinese characters have their origin 10,000 years ago. The very old forms are simplified pictures of objects and animals. Later more abstract notions were represented in a simple way. Now there are a total of 200,000 distinct characters but fortunately only 2,000 for everyday life. Read more…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