The Art of Chinese naming - Crossing the Cultural Great Wall

THE ART OF CHINESE NAMING - CROSSING THE CULTURAL GREATWALL

PROJECT | Chinese Naming Case Studies

© 1.618 Limited / 2013 all rights reserved

“I can translate my brand into Chinese in one minute,
why I need to hire somebody to do it for me?”
Head of Sales and Marketing North Asia,
Italian Sportswear Brand

NOTES | Chinese Naming

DATE | 11.09.2013


01. TO WHOM WHO WISH TO BECOME A DRAGON

JACKIE CHAN 成龍
Jackie Chan, international movie star, probably is the second most famous Hong Kong actor following Bruce Lee (李小龍). Named Chan Kong Sang (陳港生)
originally, Jackie made himself a stage name “成龍”, literally means ”Become a Dragon“.
In Chinese culture, dragon symbolizes power and prestige, thus it evolves an idiom ”望子成龍” (Wishing one’s son to become a dragon - to succeed some day)
Though a name per se cannot guarantee you to be as successful as Jackie Chan, a good name serves as a statement of your aspiration and definitely is a good start
to build up your charisma.


DATE | 11.09.2013


02. TRIGGER AN EMOTIONAL SPARK
Chinese language is known as one of the oldest languages in the world, with over 5000 years of history. It is also well known for the root of pictogram origin. Since
Chinese is a rich and deep language, the selection and application of a Chinese character to a brand is a delicate process.
Traditional studies mainly cluster Chinese naming in 3 categories, sound translation(Phonological), meaning translation(Semantical) and mixed translation.

PHONOLOGICAL

EMOTIONAL

SEMANTICAL

As practitioners, irregardless of the technique, we usually only have one goal: translating the brand’s emotional element into Chinese, which can convey a
deeper meaning and trigger emotional sparks. Like any other art pieces or poetries, there is no magic rule or formula to create a good Chinese name. The only
shortcut is to learn, to think, to practise and to keep learning.
We are going to walk you through some case studies from the most common sound translation, to the more rare emotion translation.
At last we will showcase you some of our work for further discussion.

DATE | 11.09.2013


03. PHONOLOGICAL TRANSLATION
WINE & LIQUOR

AUTOMOTIVE

FASHION

BEAUTY & PHARMACEUTIC

Bordeaux 波爾多

Armani 亞曼尼

Bayer 拜耳

- No Relevant Meaning -



Name-Simplified Chinese

波

Ferrari 法拉利





尔

多

Pinyin-Mandarin (Cantonese)

Bō
(Bo1)

Ěr
(Ji5)

Dōu
(Do1)

法

拉

You/
That

亞


Fǎ
(Faat3)

Meaning

Wave/
Ball

利

Lā
(Laai1)

Lì
(Lei6)

曼

Yà
(Aa3)

Meaning

More

French/
Law

Pull

尼

Màn
(Maan6)

Ní
(Nei4)

拜


Asia/
Second

Beautiful

Ěr
(Yi2)

Bài
(Baai3)

Meaning

Profit

耳

Meaning

Nun

Worship

Ear

63%
According to a study*, when international brands translate their name in Chinese, 63% adopted Transliterate
without Meaning.


37%
About 37% of Chinese name is either equivalent to the meaning of
original name, or elaborate the brand value/feature/function.

DATE | 11.09.2013


04. SEMANTICAL TRANSLATION
WINE & LIQUOR

FASHION

Royal Salute 皇家禮炮

Lotus 蓮花

Iceberg 冰山

Viagra 威而鋼

- A Royal Gun Salute -

- The Lotus Flower -

- An Iceberg -

- Powerful and hard -


皇

AUTOMOTIVE




家

礼

炮

Huáng
(Wong4)

Jiā
(Gaa1)

Lǐ
(Lai5)

Family

Courtesy

冰

Pào
(Paau3)

Huā
(Faa1)

Lián
(Lin4)

Meaning

Royal

花

莲

Lotus/
Water Lily

山


Bīng
(Bing1)

Meaning

Gun


Shān
(Saan1)

威

而

Wēi
(Wai1)

Meaning

Flower

Ice

钢

Ér
(Yi4)

Gāng
(Gong3)

Meaning

Mountain

Powerful

And

Steel

63%
According to a study, when international brands translate their name in Chinese, 63% adopted Transliterate
without Meaning.


37%
About 37% of Chinese name is either equivalent to the meaning of
original name, or elaborate the brand value/feature/function.

DATE | 11.09.2013


05. EMOTIONAL TRANSLATION
While it remains a challenge to translate a name that both sound and meaning fitting the original brand name, a further challenge is to compose a poetic name that create
strong emotional value that touches customers. Here are some good examples we would like to share.
AUTOMOTIVE

WINE & LIQUOR

Moët & Hennessy 酩悅 ‧ 軒尼詩

BMW 寶馬

- Joyful to be Drunken -

- A Treasurable Horse -

While Henessey is just a sound transliteration,
the essence of this name is from “Moët” to “酩
悅”.


酩

悅

“酩” is a very classic and elegant

description of somebody who is drunken. Like
in English, there are a lot of words to describe
“Happy” in Chinese, such as ”快樂“ (M: Kuài Lè,


Míng
(Ming4)

Yuè
(Jyut6)

comes from a poetry named “The Desk of Green
Jade - Lantern Festival” by Xin Qiji at Song

宝

⻢马


depicts the poet chasing a lady, while it is

Bǎo
(Bou2)

Mǎ
(Maa5)

believed to be a metaphor of the poet himself
pursuing the supreme virtue. In one phase, it

Meaning

Hing3). Out of those words, “悅” is more

other common forms.

good name. The origin of this beautiful name


Dynasty（960 -1279AD). The poetry literally

C: Faai3 Lok6) or “高興” (M: Gāo Xīng, C: Gou1

sophisticated and less widely used than the

It is generally agreed “A Treasurable Horse” is a

Meaning

says, ‘ Precious horses and decorated carriages

Drunk

Happy

come with a strong fragrance on the road.’ (寶馬
雕車香滿路) Thus

Treasure

Horse

it generates a strong

emotional association of grandness with
the name.


DATE | 11.09.2013


05. EMOTIONAL TRANSLATION (CON’T)
FASHION


Versace 范思哲

Revlon 露華濃

- Think Deep and Wise -

- The Intense Beauty of Dew -


Versace is the surname of founder Mr. Gianni
Versace and we can see a proper Chinese

范

思

哲

kings to assist his ruling in the empire. It is

华

浓


at Tang Dynasty(618 - 906AC). Upon the

Fàn
(Faan6)

Sī
(Si1)

Zhé
(Zit3)

often appealing to create names that relate to

request of the Emperor, he wrote this “Song
of Serene Melody” to praise the beauty of

Lù
(Lau6)

Huá
(Waa4)

Nóng
(Nung4)

the Queen. This expression we believe
Meaning

deep thoughts and philosophy. We believe it
also fits the Versace brand for her dedication
to quality design.

露

was written by one of the most well

known Chinese poets Li Bai. He was born


scholars and philosophers. In ancient China,
governors were selected from scholars by the

expresses an intense beauty”(春風拂檻露華
濃)

naming translation for Versace. In a very long
history of time, Chinese respected thinkers,


“With gentle touch of Spring wind, the dew

A surname

Think

Meaning

cannot match better than applying into
Wise/
Philosophy

a cosmetic brand.


Dew

Flourishing

Strong/
Concentrated

DATE | 11.09.2013


OUR PROPOSALS

NOTES | Ad excellentiam - In pursuit of excellence

DATE | 11.09.2013


06. OUR PROPOSALS - CHIANTI & DAINESE
WINE & LIQUOR

AUTOMOTIVE

Dainese 段寧捷

Chianti 瓊玉池
- The Reservoir of Precious Wines -


Chianti is a region in central Tuscany
renowned for producing quality wine.
In Chinese history and culture, wine has also

- Victory in peace to every section -

玉

琼

池

played an important role and is associated
with a lot a of great poetries.
The first 2 characters in the translation, 瓊玉,
literally refers to precious stones and jades.


a strong poetic sensation

of “A Reservoir of Fine Wine”.

and skiing. We adopted a people naming
process for President Mr. Dainese and applied

段

捷

surname, it will be better to translate a full

Qióng
(King4)

Yù
(Juk6)

Chí
(Ci4)

name from the surname only. We selected a
proper surname「段」,which could also mean

Duàn
(Dyun6)

Níng
(Ning4)

Jié
(Zit3)

section/division. First name「寧捷」refers to
Meaning

referring to the fluid as precious as jade,
「瓊玉池」creates

gear for extreme sports such as motorcycling

the name as the brand. As Dainese is a

This is also an abbreviation of 「瓊漿玉液」,

which rhetorically means wine. As a result,


Dainese specializes in producing protective

Meaning

serenity and triumph respectively. Fitting
Precious/
Elegant

Jade

Reservoir/
Pool

perfectly with the industry Dainese is working
in, the name delivers an overall meaning of

Surname/
Section

Serenity/
Peaceful

Triumph/
Fast

“Bringing victory to each section in peace”.


DATE | 11.09.2013


06. OUR PROPOSALS - HYDROGEN & BOTTEGA VERDE
FASHION


Hydrogen 氫意

Bottega Verde 博雅綠意

- The Feeling of Light and Comfort -

- A Variety of Elegance and a Feeling of Green -

Hydrogen Jeans positions itself as an Italian
Luxury Sportswear brands. With an explicit
meaning of the name “Hydrogen”, it is very

Bottega Verde is a cosmetic brand with a


passion for artisanship based on natural

意

氫

active ingredients .You may immediately

博

雅

綠

意

recall another luxury fashion brand Bottega

tempting for a person to translate the brand
into 「氫氣」 (M: Qiān Qì / C: Hing1 Hei3),



Veneta. In Italian, “Bottega” refers to “Artist


Workshop”. Bottega Veneta transliterated

meaning exactly Hydrogen Gas. The
character “氫” is very iconic and worth

Qīng
(Hing1)

Yì
(Ji3)

keeping. We proposed the name 「氫意」,

demonstrate the Italian origin.

C: Bou2 Tai4 Gaa1) .The 3 characters

Bó
(Bok3)

Yǎ
(Ngaa5)

Lù
(Luk6)

Yì
(Ji3)

individually means good and nice.
Meaning

which could express a Light and Comfortable
feeling of Hydrogen clothes, and also

“Bottega” into 「寶緹嘉」 (M: Bǎo Tí Jiā/

Hydrogen
(Element)

Meaning

Considering Bottega Verde, it is not a wise

Italy/
Feeling

attempt to have another transliteration of
“Bottega”. In fact, “Verde” stands for “Green

Wide

Elegant

Green

Italy/
Feeling

colour”. As a result, we decided to focus on
highlighting the natural and green feeling of
the brand while conveying the message
of elegance.


DATE | 11.09.2013


07. APPENDIX

1. Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese

2. Chinese People Naming
The written system of Chinese language has a long
uninterrupted development history and traditional
Chinese is generally believed to be elegant for its

A Chinese name usually is composed of 3 or 2

heritage . Traditional Chinese is still used in Taiwan,

characters(occasionally 4), with Surname as the first

Hong Kong and Macau. During 1950s and 1960s,

character. There are several common approaches in

China government initiated a reform to simplify

translating a foreigner’s name into a Chinese name,

Chinese characters, in order to lower the illiteracy

such as translate a full name from the foreign First

Mandarin is the official language of the People’s

rate and created Simplified Chinese. It is now

Name only, from only Surname, or even create a

Republic of China and Taiwan. In southern China

officially used in China.

totally new name. There is no right or wrong and it

Guangdong province, Cantonese is widely used and

depends on needs and occasions.

remains the first spoken language in Guangdong,

3. Mandarin and Cantonese

Hong Kong and Macau.


4. Reference

100

Alon, I., Littrell, R. F., & Chan, A. K. K. (2009).
Branding in China: Global Product Strategy
Alternatives. Multinational Business Review, 17(4),
123-142.

DATE | 11.09.2013


08. CONTACT US

info@1618group.hk
T +852. 3563 8015 | W 1618group.hk
R.1805, 18/F, Wai Wah Com. Centre, 6 Wilmer Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
香港上環威利麻街6號 | 威華商業中心1805室


DATE | 11.09.2013


The Art of Chinese naming - Crossing the Cultural Great Wall

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