OVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.
MON 27 APR 92 07:36
PG.03
(4)
CONFIDENTIAL
Choosing a Chines Name
for a Non-Chinese Person
Blanatory Note
General Explanation The name of a Chinese is made up of a surname and a given name. The majority of Chinese surnames are made up of one character although double character surnames also exist. The sumame is followed by a given name which consists of one or two characters. A person inherits the surname from his/her father. When a woman marries, her maiden name will normally be preceded by her husband's surname although it is quite common nowadays for married Chinese women not to follow this convention. In choosing a Chinese name for a non-Chinese person, care must be taken to ensure that the pronunciation of the Chinese name should sound as close as possible to the original name. Surnames A surname is also known as a family name. In choosing a Chinese surname for a non-Chinese person, the ideal is to select one which sounds like the original surname. However, since Chinese characters are monosyllabic and family names of non-Chinese persons usually consist of more than one syllable, it is often difficult to find a Chinese surname which can adequately transliterate the sound of the original surname in full. Furthermore, choices are restricted by the fact that there are only about 100 common Chinese Surnames. The usual practice, therefore, is to select a Chinese surname which, when pronounced, approximates in sound to at least the first syllable of the original surname.
Given Names The given name of a Chinese is equivalent to the first name or Christian name of a non-Chinese person. In theory any Chinese character or combination of characters may be chosen to form the given names. However, since Chinese characters are ideographic (i.e. each character embodies a complete meaning in itself), given names are chosen having regard to the connotations embodied in the chosen character(s). Therefore, a guiding principle in choosing a Chinese given name for a non-Chinese person is to ensure that the characters chosen embody auspicious meanings and that as far as possible they sound like the original name. Characters with unpleasant or ludicrous connotations should not be used. Since Chinese characters are monosyllabic and Chinese names, including surname, usually consist of three characters, it is obvious that the sound of any chosen Chinese name for a non-Chinese person may not be able to match the sound of the original name in full. In the circumstances, it is quite common to find that the sound of the Chinese name chosen for a non-Chinese person corresponds only to the sound of the original surname rather than that of the original name in full. However, where corresponding transliteration of sound permitting, it is not uncommon to find that the sound of Chinese name chosen for a non- Chinese person corresponds to the full extent of the sound of the original name.
Transliteration Cantonese (the Guangzhou dialect) is the most commonly spoken dialect in Hong Kong. The Cahtonese sound of the character(s) is therefore used in transliteration. They will sound differently if the characters are pronounced in Putonghua (the Beijing dialect) or any one of the myriad Chinese dialects.
TATO!