bieniu Posted March 5, 2012 at 05:28 PM Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 at 05:28 PM Hey I got accepted for a semestre abroad in Taiwan. I have just received an application form from National Taiwan University and looks like I need a chinese name to fill it in! One option is to blindly accept a name they will assign to me, but the other is to come up with my own one. This latter seems more exciting Can you help me to that? The guideline from NTU says the chinese name is required for registration and will be used on my student ID. I don't plan to have a chinese/taiwanese citizenship so do I assume correctly that the name will not be anyhow official? In that case, can I actually choose whatever 2-3 characters I want and ask someone if it is ok for a chinese name? Looks like the number of possibilities is unlimited here, so how do I choose! My forum name, Bieniu, is also what my friends call me here in Poland (it's derived from my surname, and my given name is Łukasz (english pronounciation would be sth like Woocash). Since I once accidentaly stumbled upon a chinese word 别扭 which in pinyin sounds pretty much similar to what it sounds in polish, I'm thinking maybe I could use something that sounds like bie-niu? Of course not 别扭, as it seems to mean awkward So.. any suggestions? Not only for bie-niu, I'll also apreciate any other hints about choosing a chinese name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members fangyuanziti Posted March 6, 2012 at 09:35 AM New Members Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 09:35 AM how about the 别柳? It's really a beautiful name though it sounds similar to 别扭. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 6, 2012 at 09:46 AM Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 09:46 AM I suggest 卞無極 / 卞無忌 (Bian Wuji). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bieniu Posted March 6, 2012 at 10:30 AM Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 10:30 AM would it have any meaning or just a similar sound? 無 might be a bit of a trouble to write, althought I dunno if I will ever write it myself.. What would you say for a name 波牛? 波 for Poland and 牛 for awesome? for example 吴波牛? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members fangyuanziti Posted March 6, 2012 at 11:24 AM New Members Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 11:24 AM not just a similar sound . do you know 折柳送别.It means farewall and missing in Chinese.You can see this. BTW,别柳just suit girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 6, 2012 at 11:57 AM Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 11:57 AM If you really like 波牛, I say go for it. It is your name after all, you need not care about what other people think and how they talk about you (if at all). Just be yourself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bieniu Posted March 6, 2012 at 07:39 PM Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 at 07:39 PM It's not like I 'really like' 波牛, it was just a concept that has pretty much acceptable pronounciation and meaning. I've read that native speakers can just distinguish if the signs are OK for a name or not. If 波牛 are not, I don't want it and 卞無忌 seems also very good! btw, i'm a guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lu Posted March 10, 2012 at 08:02 AM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 08:02 AM 波牛 would make you a Polish ox, at best. 牛 means awesome, but it's a rather course word for it. Not great for a name :-) 卞無極 / 卞無忌: Skylee, you are joking, but I'm missing the clue... 卞 is quite a cool surname though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:40 AM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:40 AM I don't know why anyone would think I was joking. Those are wonderful names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members zhilaoniu Posted March 10, 2012 at 12:48 PM New Members Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 12:48 PM 金灶沐 is good for you。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cang Posted March 11, 2012 at 03:36 PM Report Share Posted March 11, 2012 at 03:36 PM 别柳 is a good name!!!!But it bring me a feeling of sadness.You know 柳 means willow,and it always appears in seeing-off-poetry. How about 碧流？ And are you a girl or boy?it is important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bieniu Posted March 12, 2012 at 10:55 PM Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2012 at 10:55 PM I'm a boy. Thanks for all the names! Since it's not urgent (I got like a month before I send the form), I am considering what you've posted and still waiting for more! For now, I think I like 卞無極 the most - @Lu why do you consider it a joke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yialanliu Posted March 13, 2012 at 01:41 AM Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 at 01:41 AM Why would you name yourself after a movie? Hi my name is Godfather Kennedy...doesn't that sound jokey to me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 13, 2012 at 02:38 AM Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 at 02:38 AM Why would you name yourself after a movie? You think it is just a movie name? Ever heard of the famous painter 趙無極? Some more info on the artist Zao Wou-ki -> http://artist.christies.com/Wou-Ki-Zao-51757.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yialanliu Posted March 13, 2012 at 03:09 AM Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 at 03:09 AM The Promise was released in 2005. If you were named in the 1940s, that's fine. However, there's too much association now for that to be a name that isn't jokey. At the same time, being called "not extreme" for a name is interesting (another way of saying jokey). It's your name, but if my parents named me this, I would be rather disappointed even if I was named in 1989 with Tiananmen happening around my birth. At least then it might have some significance, but I'd have expected better. Like all names, everything works, but I think we should just keep it slightly more traditional. Just because someone else is named that means it's a great name. I'll definitely be intrigued and laugh at a white person named Shaniqua for instance, definitely a possible name, but just isn't that good at all. Anyways, I think it'd be good if you could find aname that is something that represents yourself. So if you are someone who is not extreme and average all around, then take it. If you have a certain attribute, then use a word that helps show that. Names that mean something is very typical in China and it is important to choose a good name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinewind Posted March 13, 2012 at 09:24 AM Report Share Posted March 13, 2012 at 09:24 AM I can tell that you like a cool name. But a name as cool as 卞無極 would appear almost nowhere except in KUNGFU fictions... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members BlackAnger Posted March 14, 2012 at 12:54 AM New Members Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 at 12:54 AM 别扭 is not a good word in china.I think ypu can use 吴瞰息.It sounds like your name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 20, 2012 at 01:55 PM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 01:55 PM So bieniu have you chosen your Chinese name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymoose Posted March 20, 2012 at 02:38 PM Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 at 02:38 PM I like 卞無極. People will call you 小卞. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bieniu Posted March 21, 2012 at 11:04 AM Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 at 11:04 AM I think I will stick to 卞無極. I like the sound and the meaning (the dictionary says unbounded, everlasting), and since I probably won't use it very often, I don't mind if it's a bit overblown. Thank you skylee, thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.