The first name is the first name, and the last name is the last name. Chinese and Western names are exactly opposite.
For example: Li Guang? last name is Li first name Guang
jodie lim? last name:lim first name:jodie
1. The origin of the surname< /p>
1. The origin of the surnames of the Han people
There are no completely accurate statistics on how many surnames there are in China. The "Hundred Family Surnames" compiled by the Song Dynasty included 484 common surnames. "Newly Compiled Thousands of Surnames" contains 3107 surnames. The "Chinese Surnames Chronicle" published in recent years includes 5,730 surnames. The "Chinese Surnames" published in Taiwan includes 6,363 surnames. There used to be a large number of surnames in history, but now only about 100 are commonly used. Its origins mainly include the following aspects:
The surname is based on the totem of the ancestors, that is, the surname is based on the names of the animals and plants that are worshiped. For example, ox, horse, dragon, bear, Yang, Li, Lin, etc.
The surname is based on the fiefdom, that is, the surname is based on the name of the dynasty or the country. For example, Zhao, Song, Qin, Han, Qi, Chen, Guan, Cao, Cai, Wei, etc.
The surname is based on the place of residence, that is, the surname is based on the place where the ancestor first lived. For example, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the officials of the Qi State lived in the four corners of the capital, namely Dongguo, Xiguo, Nanguo, and Beiguo. From this, the surnames Dongguo and Nanguo came into being. Doctor Zheng lived in Ximen, so he took Ximen as his surname. The legendary Fuxi lived in the East, and his descendants took the surname Dongfang.
The surname is based on the official position, that is, the surname is based on the title that the ancestor once held. For example, "Situ" is an official position in charge of education and culture in ancient times, and "Sima" is an official position in charge of military affairs. Their descendants took these titles as their surnames.
Using occupation as surname means taking the occupation of ancestors as surname. For example, the stonemason's surname is Shi, the potter's surname is Tao, the shaman's surname is Wu, the butcher's surname is Tu, the musician's surname is Le, etc.
Use color names as surnames, that is, use various colors in nature as surnames. For example, white, yellow, blue, green, etc.
Modern Chinese women retain their own independent family surnames, that is, male and female surnames, both before and after marriage. However, in Western countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, women generally have to change their husband's surname after marriage. For example, Miss Marie White married Mr. John Brown, and the woman's name became Marie Brown after the marriage. Women in Hong Kong often add their husband's surname in front of their own names after getting married. For example, if Xu Xiaoli marries Zhang Xiaogang, the woman’s name will become Zhang Xu Xiaoli after the marriage. Many Chinese who go to study and work abroad often give themselves a "foreign name" to make it easier to interact with foreigners, but their surnames usually remain the same, leaving a "tail" of Chinese culture. Many foreigners who come to China to study or work often give themselves a Chinese name in order to make it easier to interact with Chinese people. Not only the first name is a Chinese given name, but the surname is also a Chinese surname.
2. The origin of surnames in English-speaking countries
The surname systems in English-speaking countries are basically the same. English surnames mainly originated from the Anglo-Saxon people and spread to all parts of the world with the prosperity of the British Empire's colonial expansion in the 18th century. Although there are great differences between Chinese and Western cultures, the origins of Chinese and English surnames have many similarities. Surnames in English-speaking countries mainly come from the following aspects:
The surname is based on the professional name. The situation of using occupational names as surnames in English is similar to that in Chinese, but the scope of occupations is much wider, and the proportion of people with occupational names as surnames is also much larger than in China. Smith is a very common surname in English-speaking countries because there were various craftsmen in early British society, such as Goldsmith, Coppersmith, Blacksmith, etc. Similar industries include Baker, Barber, Fisher, Tailor, Hunter, Butcher, Sailor, Carpenter, etc.
The surname is based on the topography and landform of the place of residence. For example, Field, Hill, Brook, Lane, Shore, Lake, Bush, etc.
Taking natural phenomena as surnames. For example, Snow, Rain, Thunder, Frost, Cloud, Summer, Winter, May, etc. There are very few such surnames in Chinese.
Use the name of an animal as your surname. In Chinese, there are also surnames based on the names of animals, but due to different aesthetic tastes, the animals chosen are also different. In contrast, in English-speaking countries, it is more common for people to use animal names as surnames, and they are often funny. For example, there is a surname of Bird, a surname of Fish, a surname of Dog, a surname of Horse, a surname of Horse, a surname of Lamb, a surname of Bull, a surname of Goose, and a surname of Nightingale. Nightingale, Lion, Fox, etc. It can be said that it is really diverse and full of surprises.
The surname is a word that expresses a person's appearance and body shape.
For example, Longman means "big tall person", Small means "little person", Bunch means "hunchback", Fat means "fat person", Strong means "strong body", Armstrong means "thick arms", etc. However, there is no such surname in Chinese.
English-speaking countries, especially the United States, a melting pot of nations around the world, have very prominent values ??of being unconventional in everything, which is also reflected in their names. For example, there are people named Apple, Orange, and others. Rice, Wheat, Corn, Bacon, Ham, and even Cough, Poison, and Ash are really weird and incredible. Of course, we mostly use them when translating English names. Transliteration means which pronunciation is pronounced and which word is translated. For example, Mr. Bird (bird) is translated into Lady Bird, Miss Fish (fish) is translated into Miss Faith, Mr. Fox (fox) is translated into Mr. Fox, Mr. Strong (strong) is translated into Mr. Strong, etc.
2. Comparison of Chinese and Western naming methods
1. Chinese naming methods
China A person's name is composed of a surname and a given name, with the surname in front and the given name in the back, that is, "surnames are valued over given names". This is related to the traditional Chinese culture's advocating for independence and the emphasis on clan nepotism. Single names and double names. Traditionally, Chinese names mostly consist of two characters, but now more and more people have one character. When people choose names, they pay attention to their meaning and form, and they are different for men and women. The names of Chinese people mostly use words of heroic and powerful words, which convey masculinity; while the names of women often contain words of beauty, virtuousness, and cuteness. There are many ways and methods for Chinese people to choose names, and each dynasty has its own characteristics, but they can be summarized as follows. Several types:
In the name of parents’ expectations, sustenance and aspirations for their children, such as Jianguo, Guoguo, Anguo, Dingguo, Jianhua, Yongqing, Yongkang, Yongfa, Changsheng, Chaochen, Zhao. Di, Zhijian, Zhiqiang, Zhigao, etc.
They are named after the season or weather when they were born, such as spring, autumn, winter, rain, etc.
Named after the place of birth. For example, Heng (Yang) Sheng, Jing (Beijing) Sheng, Hu (Shanghai) Sheng, Yellow River, Yangtze River, etc.
Commonly used as names for women. . Such as plum, peach, chrysanthemum, lotus, li, orchid, flower, etc.
This is the traditional naming custom of the Chinese people. The "Five Elements" of gold, wood, water, fire and earth are arranged correspondingly. If a certain "element" is missing, the name will be named after the character of that element. If there is no wood, the name must have the word "木" or the word "木", and so on.
The eldest child in the Zhou Dynasty of my country was named "Bo" and the second child was named "Bo". The four characters "Bo", "Zhong", "Uncle" and "Ji" are often used as names after historical events. This is mainly prevalent in contemporary times, such as Jiefang, Xinsheng, Weiguo, Weidong, Xiangdong, Yuejin, Zhenhua, etc. Perhaps the biggest characteristic of Chinese names is that their names have a distinct sense of the times.
In ancient China, "name" and "character" were separate. A person is given a name first when he is born, and then a character is given after he reaches adulthood. People with a certain identity and status generally have names. For example, Confucius had a surname of Kong, a given name of Qiu, and a given name of Zhongni. Confucius ranked second in the family, so the character "Zhong" was used in his surname, and "Ni" represented the "Nishan" in his hometown, echoing the character "Qiu" in his name. As for ordinary people, they often have names but no words. In social activities, you should address others by their names but not by their names out of respect; when you call yourself, you should address others by their names but not by their names to show modesty. Some literati and scholars often give themselves a "number" in addition to their names. For example, Zhuge Liang's compound surname is Zhuge, his single name is Liang, his courtesy name is Kongming, and his Taoist name is Wolong.
2. The way Westerners choose names
Names in English-speaking countries generally consist of two parts: surname and given name, but the first name comes first and the surname comes last. The order is just right. Contrary to China, that is, "names are valued over surnames." Some people have only one name, and some people have two or three names. Generally, it is first name + middle name + surname. The first name is also called the Christian name. The middle name is generally not used and is only used in formal occasions or when signing documents. For example, Linda James Smith is often written as Linda J. Smith or L.J. Smith for convenience. The way Westerners choose names has similarities and differences with Chinese people. The differences are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Using the names of parents, relatives and friends as one's own name. For example, the scientist Darwin's name is Charles Robert Darwin, his father is Robert Darwin, and his uncle is Charles Darwin. Adding the uncle's name in front of his father's name becomes his name. Another example is that US President Roosevelt and oil tycoon Rockefeller both gave their sons exactly the same name as themselves. For ease of distinction, a Junior is added to the end of the son's name, usually abbreviated to Jr.? For example, Franklin Roosevelt Jr. / John D. Rockefeller Jr.
It is named after celebrities and gods in myths and legends.
For example, Washington (Washington, the founding father of the United States), Lincoln (Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States), Apollo (Sun God), Diana (Moon Goddess) and Mary, David, Joseph, Peter, John, etc. are directly selected from Biblical names.
The Christian names in English-speaking countries include nicknames or nicknames. For example, William's nickname is Bill, Richard's nickname is Dick, Elizabeth's nickname is Bess, etc.
In English-speaking countries, naming is also affected by social values, which is particularly prominent in some traditional names. Women's names often use words that symbolize beauty, elegance, cuteness, etc. This is similar to the naming of Chinese women. For example, Allen means sunshine, Alice means beauty, Anne means elegance, Catherine means purity, Emily means hard work, Jenny means quietness, Lily means lily, etc. Men often use names to express their strong, brave, and noble character. For example, Andrew means strong, Frank means freedom, Henry means ruler, William means will, Robert means bright flame, Charles means man, etc.
3. Translation of Chinese and Western names
In 1978, the State Council promulgated a decision that all names of people and places in my country should be spelled in Chinese Pinyin. Of course, there are exceptions. For example, Tibet is still translated for Tibet. ?At present, the translation of names of people and places in my country follows two basic principles, namely: the name follows the owner and the convention.
1. English translation of Chinese names
Chinese names have a distinct sense of the times and cultural significance. In order to retain the traditional Chinese cultural characteristics and national language style to the greatest extent, the translation of names should be Adopt the principle of putting me first.
Translate according to the order of Chinese names. However, taking into account the reader's receptive ability and cultural habits, it may be appropriate to take appropriate care of the culture of the target language. Use all uppercase Pinyin letters for surnames. For example, Wang Xiaoli can be translated as: WANG Xiaoli. I believe that with the expansion of international exchanges, foreigners will gradually understand and accept the order of Chinese names.
Names that have been translated will not be corrected in accordance with established principles. For example, Soong Ching Ling, Tan Kak Kee, Sun Yat Sen, etc.
2. Chinese translation of British and American names
The translation of British and American names must also abide by the principle of following the owner and respect their traditional culture and language style.
Transliteration is the most important method of translating foreign names. However, in order to prevent the transliteration of nouns from being too long, some obscure sounds can be omitted and not translated. Such as Engels (not translated as "Engels"), Elizabeth Elizabeth (not translated as "Elizabeth"). Foreign surnames do not need to be translated into Chinese surnames to avoid misunderstandings. For example: Tolstoy's old translation of "Tao Shidao" is too Chinese, and Gogol's old translation of "Guo Ge'er" also seems inappropriate. The translated names for women can be more feminine, such as Anne, Mary, etc.
Translate according to the order of foreign names, that is, first name and then surname. The first name and last name are separated by a dot spacer symbol "?". Such as: Carl Smith, Charles Robert Darwin, Charles Robert Darwin.
For foreign names that have already been translated, no correction will be made in accordance with established principles. In the past, the translation of foreign names was not very standardized. Some used the surname first and then the given name, and some used the Chinese surname according to the pronunciation of the first syllable of the surname. Such as: Bernard Shaw, Leigton Stuart, Joseph Needham, Vincent Rurhnasearmy, etc. Although these translations often cause misunderstandings among people who do not know the situation, they have been accepted by most people and do not require further correction.