Name of Chinese 中国人的姓名

The full name of a Han Chinese is composed of two parts: the surname and the given name, while the opposite of the arrangement of names is widely practiced in many other countries outsideAsia.

Today, there are more than 8,000 Chinese surnames, of which 3,000 surnames are used by the Han Chinese. Among these names, Li, Wang and Zhang are the most commonly heard, given to about 250 million Chinese.

The surname is generally composed of one character or syllable, such as Zhang, Wang, Li, or Zhao, among which Li is the most popular. There are also two-syllable surnames, or compound surnames, such as Ouyang, Zhuge, Sima and Gongsun.

A given name is usually two words but also can consist of just one syllable. A full Chinese name always has two or three characters, but can also have four if there is both a compound surname and two-syllable given name. Since ancient time, a one-syllable surname and two-syllable given name has been the norm in China.

Traditionally, a Chinese surname is often passed down through the father. Now,Chinese women always retain their family name even after marriage ,but they couldn't in ancient time.

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