Meaning
surname; family name; name
Chinese: 姓氏、名字。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “xing” becomes a different word in each tone. 姓 is the 4th tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 老百姓lǎo bǎi xìngordinary people; the "person in the street"
- 姓氏xìng shìfamily name
- 种姓zhǒng xìngcaste (traditional Indian social division)
- 单姓dān xìngsingle-character surname
- 百姓bǎi xìngcommon people
More Words
Example Sentence
请问您贵姓？Qǐng wèn nín guì xìng?May I ask your surname?
请问Qǐng wènExcuse me, may I ask...?您nínyou (formal)贵姓guì xìngwhat is your surname?？
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A woman (女) plus 生 (to give birth): the line you are born into through the mother. Ancient surnames were matrilineal — hence ‘surname / family name’.
A way to remember it
Born (生) of a woman (女) — your surname.
Easy to confuse with
- 生‘To be born’: the right-hand part of 姓, on its own.