姓
surname; family name
xìng
What does 姓 mean?
姓 (xìng) means 'family name / surname' AND, used as a verb, 'to be surnamed.' This double role surprises English speakers: 我姓王 literally reads 'I am-surnamed Wang' — no need for 'is/am' or any other verb. To ask someone's surname politely, the standard question is 您贵姓？ (nín guì xìng, 'what is your honorable surname?'), and the standard answer is 我姓 + [surname], optionally followed by 叫 + [given name].
As a noun, 姓 means the family name itself: 中国人的姓在前 ('Chinese family names come first'). Chinese surnames almost always come BEFORE the given name (姓 then 名), the reverse of English order. The character contains 女 (woman) — a reference to ancient times when surnames were passed through the mother's line.
Character breakdown
surname; 女 (woman) + 生 (birth) — 'born from the woman's line'
Memory hook: 女 (woman) + 生 (birth) — your surname tells where you were born and to whom; ancient surnames came from the mother.
Measure word for 姓
Example sentences
您贵姓？
Nín guì xìng?
What is your surname? (polite)
polite
我姓王，叫王明。
Wǒ xìng Wáng, jiào Wáng Míng.
My surname is Wang, my name is Wang Ming.
neutral
她姓什么？
Tā xìng shénme?
What's her surname?
spoken
李是中国常见的姓。
Lǐ shì Zhōngguó chángjiàn de xìng.
Li is a common surname in China.
written
Common phrases with 姓
Synonyms
More formal / written word for surname. Used in documents, forms, and academic writing. 姓 is the everyday word; 姓氏 appears on official forms.
Don't confuse 姓 with
性 means 'gender / nature / -ness' (e.g. 性别 'gender,' 重要性 'importance'). Same pinyin xìng, similar look (女 + 生 vs 忄+ 生). 姓 = surname; 性 = nature/sex.
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