Surname Chen introduction 姓名陈介绍 (How do you disambiguate your last name?)

[abcdefg]

Many, probably most, possibly all, Chinese surnames have one or more common "clarifying descriptors" or "disambiguation phrases" that are said right along with the name when one is introducing oneself to a stranger. These "name accompaniments" are not really fixed or rigidly standardized, one can use several different ones. 

 

For example, my Chinese name is 柏峰 and I always "explain" it as 松柏的柏 and 山峰的峰 to make it clear which characters are used. If I still get a "what?" look, I can further explain the "bai" as 有木字旁的柏 or 柏树的柏。A Mr. Dong might introduce himself as 东部的东 or 东北的东 to make it clear that his name is not 董 。A Mr. Yang might tell you that he is 太阳的阳 instead of 海洋的洋。 I have a friend named Song who introduces himself as 宋代的宋。

 

Yesterday I met someone who introduced himself as Chen and wrote it quickly on his palm with one finger: 陈。At the same time, he also explained real fast, “xxx的陈". It was too fast for me to catch and afterwards I got to wondering what the explaining phrase could have been.  So, can any of you who know more than I do speculate as to possible or likely "Chen" descriptors? I realize there is not just one "correct answer." 

 

Apologies: It quickly became more complicated to ask this simple question than I thought it would. If I've not made myself clear, let me know and I'll try again. Unfortunately, I don't even know quite where to look it up. My efforts yielded genealogy research and tips for naming babies. 

[vellocet]

老百姓的陈

[abcdefg]

Thanks, that makes good sense. 

[Alex_Hart]

Two examples I've heard before:

偏旁： 耳东的陈

组词： 陈旧的陈

[abcdefg]

4 hours ago, Alex_Hart said:

耳东的陈

 

Pretty sure that's the one I heard yesterday. Thanks!

[mungouk]

7 hours ago, Alex_Hart said:

耳东的陈

 

How does 耳 relate to the阝radical?  Is it because it looks a bit like an ear?  Or is it talking about something else?

[Alex_Hart]

1 hour ago, mungouk said:

How does 耳 relate to the阝radical?  Is it because it looks a bit like an ear?  Or is it talking about something else?

I'm not positive but from what I understand, yes, it's because it looks like an ear. Although actually simplified from traditional characters 阜 and 邑, it's also called 左耳旁 because it looks like a left ear. Also here.

 

[mungouk]

I love this stuff!  Thanks.

 

[Lu]

On 5/20/2018 at 5:31 AM, Alex_Hart said:

偏旁： 耳东的陈

When spelling like this, don't you say 耳东陈, without the 的? In 陈旧的陈, you need the 的 because it's 'Chen of chenjiu', but in 耳东陈, it's 耳+东=陈.

[陳德聰]

Yep, just 耳東陳 will do.

[Bibu]

you are getting a new stage now. Even our native does not know exactly  how to express it. This knowledge is acquired through daily life, through wha you hear and what you can remeber.

 

No need to put extra effort on it as far as you can tell some one is trying to classify a character to you, by radical, by a 2 -4 character word, by a famous name etc.

 

For me, a quick one I can think of is 弓长张， 立早章，三点水的汪，my surname is 樊， so i would say, 樊梨花的樊。 LOL.

 

 

[abcdefg]

5 hours ago, 陳德聰 said:

Yep, just 耳東陳 will do.

 

I was wondering when 陈老师 would weigh in. Had been waiting. Now this topic has been properly answered! 

 

1 hour ago, Bibu said:

For me, a quick one I can think of is 弓长张， 立早章，三点水的汪，my surname is 樊， so i would say, 樊梨花的樊。 LOL.

 

Those are good ones too.

 

Yesterday I met someone and inquired 您贵姓？ Reply was 免贵周，周恩来的周。Didn't want to be mistaken for porridge 粥。

[Lu]

I used to have a colleague who spelled her surname as 袁世凯的袁, which I initially found surprising, because I'd think that Yuan doesn't have a very good reputation.

 

I spell mine as 西施的施, or sometimes when I want to be more modest as 施工的施. I'd like to spell it as 方人也施 but I'm afraid nobody will get it (or that I can't tell who will).

[陳德聰]

Maybe this should be the “how do you disambiguate your last name” thread.

 

My partner says “門吉周” and I still to this day think that that is simply bonkers.

[Jim]

I was given the Chinese surname 魏 and often say 曹操魏国的魏 which sort of works. Was told as a joke i should say 八千女鬼.

[Lu]

18 minutes ago, 陳德聰 said:

My partner says “門吉周” and I still to this day think that that is simply bonkers.

Do people get it? I like this spelling a lot (for the same reason I like 方人也施, only more), but I am 100% sure I wouldn't understand it if I heard it. But then, I'm generally not very good at understanding spelled-out characters.

 

ETA: Made me wonder if anyone had gotten the idea to name their kid 周门吉, and indeed they appear to exist. This pleases me.

[abcdefg]

3 hours ago, 陳德聰 said:

Maybe this should be the “how do you disambiguate your last name” thread.

 

Good suggestion. I've changed the title.

[陳德聰]

7 hours ago, Lu said:

Do people get it?

They do indeed. I think it makes sense for people who use simplified characters, and it may have even been taught in school.

[Ellie2018]

大家好! Does anyone know a common way of introducing the surname 梅?

[edelweis]

梅花的梅 ?