姓 (xìng) - Surname & family name

姓Tone 4

xìng ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 女

信嫣

姓 · xìng

Surname;

family name;

clan name;

to bear the surname.

Surnamefamily nameclan name

Usage highlights

SurnameFirst nameFull nameCommon surnameHundred Family SurnamesChange surname

Synonyms

  • 姓氏— surname; family name
  • 氏— clan name; family name

Antonyms

  • 名— given name; first name

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • What is your surname?(你姓什么?)
  • My surname is Wang (我姓王).
  • The surname Zhang is very common (张姓很常见).
  • They share the same surname (他们同姓).

Collocations

  • Surname(姓氏)
  • First name(名字)
  • Full name(姓名)
  • Common surname(常见姓氏)
  • Hundred Family Surnames(百家姓)
  • Change surname(改姓)

Idioms

  • Only know someone's surname but not their personal name(只知其姓，不知其名)
  • Change one's surname and assume a different name(改名换姓)
  • A person of no reputation(无名小姓)
  • Of the same surname and ancestry(同姓同宗)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, the surname (姓) comes before the given name, reflecting the importance of family and lineage.
  • The concept of 'xing' originated from matriarchal clans; many ancient Chinese surnames contain the '女' radical.
  • The Hundred Family Surnames (百家姓) is a classic Chinese text documenting hundreds of common surnames.

FAQ