Free · 100 surnames
Chinese surnames
- 1王Wángking · Wong
- 2李Lǐplum · Lee, Li
- 3张張Zhāngto open; to spread · Cheung
- 4刘劉LiúLau
- 5陈陳Chénto display; to arrange · Chan
- 6杨楊Yángpoplar · Yeung
- 7黄黃Huángyellow · Wong
- 8赵趙ZhàoZhao (one of the Warring States) · Chiu
- 9吴吳WúWu (ancient state in today's Jiangsu and Zhejiang) · Ng
- 10周Zhōuweek · Chow, Chau
- 11徐Xúslowly; gently · Tsui
- 12孙孫Sūngrandchild; grandson · Suen
- 13马馬Mǎhorse · Ma
- 14朱Zhūvermilion; bright red · Chu
- 15胡Hú(historical) non-Han peoples in the north and west · Wu
- 16郭Guōouter city wall · Kwok
- 17何Héwhat; how; why · Ho
- 18林Línforest; woods · Lam
- 19高Gāohigh; tall · Ko
- 20罗羅Luónet (for catching birds) · Lo
- 21郑鄭ZhèngZheng (state in the Zhou dynasty) · Cheng
- 22梁Liángbeam; rafter · Leung
- 23谢謝Xièto thank · Tse
- 24宋SòngSong dynasty (960-1279) · Sung
- 25唐TángTang dynasty (618-907) · Tong
- 26许許Xǔto allow; to permit · Hui
- 27邓鄧DèngTang
- 28韩韓HánSouth Korea; Korea (short for 韩国) · Hon
- 29冯馮FéngFung
- 30曹Cáopeople; class · Cho, Tso
- 31彭PéngPang
- 32曾ZēngTsang
- 33萧蕭Xiāodesolate; dreary · Siu, Shiu
- 34田Tiánfield; farmland · Tin
- 35董Dǒngto supervise; to direct · Tung
- 36潘PānPoon, Pun
- 37袁YuánYuen
- 38蔡CàiChoi
- 39蒋蔣JiǎngTseung
- 40余Yúsurplus; remainder · Yu, Yue
- 41于Yúat; in; on · Yue
- 42杜Dùto prevent; to stop · To
- 43叶葉Yèleaf · Yip
- 44程Chéngjourney; distance · Ching
- 45魏WèiWei (state in the Warring States period) · Ngai
- 46苏蘇Sūto revive; to come back to life · So
- 47吕呂LǚLui
- 48丁Dīngman; person · Ting
- 49任RénYam
- 50卢盧LúLo
- 51姚YáoYiu
- 52沈ShěnShenyang (short for 沈阳) · Shum, Sum, Sham
- 53钟鍾Zhōngclock · Chung
- 54姜Jiāngginger · Keung
- 55崔CuīChui
- 56谭譚TánTam
- 57陆陸Lùland; shore · Luk
- 58范Fànmodel; example · Fan
- 59汪Wāng(of liquid) to collect; to accumulate · Wong
- 60廖LiàoLiu
- 61石Shístone; rock · Shek
- 62金Jīngold · Kam
- 63韦韋Wéitanned leather · Wai
- 64贾賈JiǎKa
- 65夏Xiàsummer · Ha
- 66傅Fùteacher; tutor · Fu, Foo
- 67方Fāngsquare · Fong
- 68邹鄒ZōuZou (ancient state in Shandong) · Chau, Chow
- 69熊Xióngbear · Hung
- 70白Báiwhite · Pak
- 71孟Mèngfirst (month of a season) · Mang
- 72秦QínQin dynasty (221-207 BC) · Chun
- 73邱QiūYau
- 74侯Hóumarquis; nobleman · Hau
- 75江Jiāngriver (esp. a large one) · Kong
- 76尹YǐnWan
- 77薛XuēSit
- 78阎閻YánKing Yama, ruler of hell · Yim
- 79段Duànclassifier for sections, passages and stretches of time or road · Tuen
- 80雷Léithunder · Lui
- 81龙龍Lóngdragon · Lung, Loong
- 82黎Límultitude; the masses · Lai
- 83史Shǐhistory · Sze
- 84陶Táopottery; ceramics · To, Tao
- 85贺賀Hèto congratulate · Ho
- 86毛Máohair; fur; feather · Mo
- 87郝HǎoKok
- 88顾顧Gùto look after; to take care of · Ku
- 89龚龔GōngKung
- 90邵ShàoSiu, Shiu
- 91万萬Wànten thousand · Man
- 92覃Tán / Qíndeep; extensive · Tam
- 93武Wǔmilitary; martial · Mo
- 94钱錢Qiánmoney · Chin
- 95戴Dàito wear (a hat, glasses, jewelry, etc.) · Tai
- 96严嚴Yánstrict; stern; severe · Yim
- 97欧歐ŌuEurope (short for 欧洲) · Au
- 98莫Mòdon't; must not · Mok
- 99孔Kǒnghole; opening · Hung
- 100向Xiàngtoward; to · Heung
What are the most common Chinese surnames?
王 (Wáng), 李 (Lǐ), 张 (Zhāng), 刘 (Liú), 陈 (Chén). 王, 李 and 张 alone are carried by about one person in five in mainland China.
Does the surname come first in Chinese?
Yes. 王小明 is Wang Xiaoming: 王 is the family name, 小明 the given name. People are called by the surname with a title, 王老师 (Teacher Wang) or 王先生 (Mr Wang), and Chinese women keep their own surname when they marry.
Why is Wang also spelled Wong, and Chen Chan?
Families who left from Hong Kong and southern China spelled their names the Cantonese way, so 王 and 黄 both became Wong, 陈 Chan and 吴 Ng. Pinyin, the mainland spelling, is the one used today in China.
Are there two-character surnames?
A few: 欧阳 (Ōuyáng), 司马 (Sīmǎ), 诸葛 (Zhūgě) and 上官 (Shàngguān) are the best known. Almost every Chinese surname is one character.
More on names
Order from China’s Ministry of Public Security’s report on 2019 registrations, as listed on Wikipedia’s List of common Chinese surnames; the share of 王, 李 and 张 from its 2007 survey (21.3%). Meanings from our own dictionary.