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Chinese Name - A new identity

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  1. #21

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    There are two famous celebrities here:

    大牛 (Daniel Newham), full Chinese name is 牛漢生 or 牛汉生. He is in a white shirt from the video.

    Daniel Newham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



    大山 (Mark Rowswell), full Chinese name is 马克·罗斯韦尔.

    Dashan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    I live next door to Beatrix Potter
    And her son Harry?

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by InigoMontoya:
    And her son Harry?
    If her and her hubby have kids I'll have to say something right? When she introduced herself to me as Beatrix I nearly choked!
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  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by bookblogger:
    Da Shan's English name is Mark, not Daniel.
    Oops my mistake got the two confused, But then all westerners look the same to us Chinese

  5. #25

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    Never had anyone show offense - quite the contrary much like our company name in English to Chinese they give us positive feedback. I guess when they say nothing - you never know.

    祈柏恆 - Cantonese Kei Pak Hang or Putonghua- Qi Baiheng

    This is like my English surname a bit and I get a lot of positive comments from Chinese people when they look at my business card.

    I think offense might be taken if they use your Chinese name and you don't know it or respond to it.

    I was introduced at a business awards event run by a faculty at HK Polytech where I was in the audience and not part of the event officially. The lady hosting used my Chinese name only. The audience applauded when I stood up so she upped the ante and said next year I can come up and write it for them but in Chinese... That got applause as they knew they'd stump me on that.

    Khaemis and mingming like this.

  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by InigoMontoya:
    Whatever you do, don't make the mistake many international students from Asia do when they are studying in the West - if I meet another Calvin Klein I will scream.
    haha! Really... definitely no heading that way

  7. #27

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    Hi Everyone,

    Well I can see that funny stories can come out of what I would call 'blunders' when picking a Chinese name. I think I will have to stick to my name until later.
    It would make more sense for me to immerse to the culture before I take a decision. If it's not a problem to not have a Chinese name when I arrive in HK and doesn't offend anyone then I'll do that.

    My intention is to immerse as fully as I can so first step is to learn cantonese. I'll leave the decision of my Chinese name to locals. Hopefully they'll give me a name that fits with my personality.

    Many thanks all


  8. #28

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    One of my HK coworkers was named Scott. He just decided one weekend to change his name and came in one Monday and declared his name was now Andy. Weird. Whats up with that?


  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    One of my HK coworkers was named Scott. He just decided one weekend to change his name and came in one Monday and declared his name was now Andy. Weird. Whats up with that?
    They do it with their Chinese names too - just yesterday I met met someone who had changed her given name from On Li to Hoi Yin - her ID card had been changed and she was off to change her passport - with her mum, because she's only 13 years old!

    OP, my very erudite, Cantonese and Mandarin speaking first language teacher gave me my Chinese name, which bears passable resemblance to my longer northern European name. Having learned to listen for it in both its (most useful) Chinese forms I have found it a lot easier to recognise when I'm being called in government offices and banks, where my "real" name gets mangled in assorted ways! It has also been enormously helpful when working in Taiwan and mainland.
    The moral being, that if you want a Chinese name then make sure you get a well-educated local to figure one out for you - don't try and DIY.
    Last edited by chingleutsch; 14-03-2011 at 05:47 PM.
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  10. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    One of my HK coworkers was named Scott. He just decided one weekend to change his name and came in one Monday and declared his name was now Andy. Weird. Whats up with that?
    Scott nothing to do with you...he wanted a change Andy did...
    bdw and mingming like this.