In chinese culture, do I use my japanese last name or not?

[adamnhms]

大家好，

I've asked many native speakers this question, and I've gotten mixed answers. My last name in katakana is ニヘイ and hiragana にへい.

Do I use it or not in a chinese name? Thanks in advance!

[Hofmann]

Are you sure there's no 漢字 for that? (Most Chinese can't read kana.)

[adamnhms]

Are you sure there's no 漢字 for that? (Most Chinese can't read kana.)

I'm not sure. Probably not. haha

[OneEye]

There should be. It's probably one of the names on this page. If you can find out which one it is, use that. You won't be called Nihei in Chinese though, the characters in your name will be read in their Mandarin pronunciation. Same deal with your first name, if you have a Japanese given name, you should use that. If you can't find out which characters your names are, then get a native speaker to help you pick out a Chinese name.

[carlo]

This site gives a few alternatives, of which 仁平 and 仁兵 look pretty suitable. Use with care.

[Hofmann]

If it's not yours then it's not yours. Ask your parents.

[Lu]

If it's not yours then it's not yours. Ask your parents.

Chinese people take English names, foreign people take Chinese names, usually without their parents' involvement. Nothing wrong with that.

仁平 and 仁兵 don't seem especially Japanese to me on the first sight, but yah, check with some native speakers before you use this. Japanese names don't go over well in China. In Taiwan on the other hand it's no problem at all, many Taiwanese love Japanese culture and there is a sense of nostaligia for the colonial time (justified or not, it is there).

Edit: I misread and thought Nihei was your given name. As a surname, it won't work in China, it's not a Chinese last name and clearly Japanese. Unless this is your real last name and it's important to you to use this, I'd pick a Chinese last name.

[lingo-ling]

If the kanji of your surname turn out to be 仁平, Mandarin speakers won't say Nihei; instead they'll say Renping.

[Hofmann]

...I think I'm understood but I was under the impression that his/her surname was given to him by his/her parents, most likely. Asking them for the kanji would make sense.

And don't change it for the sake of avoiding discrimination. People have to get civilized.

[adamnhms]

Thanks for the help everybody!

[Demonic_Duck]

Despite the fact that unthinking hatred of the Japanese is depressingly common, I've come across a number of Chinese people whose "English" name is actually Japanese.

In your situation, I'd say find out the Kanji and stick with it if you're of Japanese descent, but if not try and come up with a real Chinese name with the help of a native speaker.