translating names is it specific characters?

[Guest squirellyd]

I have been trying to translate my son's name Mitchell into chinese characters for him but in all the websites the closest I can get is the symbols that translate into Michael would the symbols/charaters be any different?

[smithsgj]

Another one of those names that can't be rendered exactly in Chinese. Search for "Alexis", for another father who asked about a Chinese name.

I think the closest you will get is mi-chi-le (pronounced approximately as mee-chuh-luh). Someone else will probably suggest appropriate characters that have these sounds.

[Alhazred]

This is something I always wondered about (well, I sometimes wonder about rather): how are occidental names "translated" into Chinese ? It seems to me they are just written with characters that reproduce the different sounds of the name. Is it just that or is there something more behind it ?

[bathrobe]

This came up on a search for 'Margaret Mitchell' on Chinese Google.

米切尔

But on Taiwanese sites:

密契尔 and 米契尔

[ala]

米切尔 = simplified (mainland) miqie'er (sounds like: meecheer)

米契爾 = traditional (taiwan) miqi'er (sounds like: meechee'er)

[ala]

Darn, I was late.

[ala]

密契尔 is actually pretty good southern dialect wise. in Shanghainese: mitchie'uh

[bathrobe]

Darn, I was late.

????

[smithsgj]

Darn' date=' I was late.[/quote']

????

He meant he posted the same thing as you minutes later without realizing!