My chinese name?

[xus-swede]

I'm filling in the application form for an academic year at BCLU and in the application form they're asking for my Chinese name. Am I stupid for asking this? Can't seem to find someone who has asked this question at these forums via the search function.

Anyways, help a confused swede out.

Edit: I think I am stupid for asking this. Really stupid.

[malinuo]

Nope, you're not stupid. It is a strange subject, but the Chinese authorities want a version of your name written in hanzi. It is of course impossible to render for example Thörulf Ingjåldsson perfectly in hanzi, but it seems any kind of transkription is ok. I got my Chinese name in China, for whatever it's worth. As I filled in some forms at the university, one of the staff invented this thing after some thinking and conferring with colleagues. (There was no giggling, as far as I could hear.)

If you can wait until you get to China to get their advice, I think that may be good. I'm pretty sure the university will accept a "none" in that field for now. Otherwise look for a Chinese person in your area, who you trust. (No, don't take the Vietnamese waiter at the so called "Chinese" restaurant next door.)

You have a few lists of transcriptions of first names at http://www.chinese-tools.com/names/boy.html .

[semantic nuance]

Hi,

If you want a Chinese transliteration for your name, and it sounds like a Chinese name, here is my suggestion: 徐偉德(Xu2 wei3 de2), 徐維德(Xu2 wei2 de2), or 徐韋德(Xu2 wei2 de2). Or you could simply have a 2-character name like a lot of the chinese people in Mainland have. For example, 徐偉, 徐為, etc. But be careful with the pronunciation, if you cannot pronounce it correctly, it might turn out to be very similar to the pronunciation of 虛偽(hypocrisy).

Hope it helps!

[xus-swede]

Allright. Many thanks. Think I'll write "none"... Or can someone figure out how I write Fredrik Sterner (which is my name) in hanzi?

[semantic nuance]

Oops! How stupid I was! I forgot that it is just your ID, and I helped you find your Chinese name according to your ID! What was I thinking?! I'm the stupid one. Sorry, xus-swede. Just forget about the whole thing. So embarrassing!

[mlomker]

I know this site is a bit of a lark, but I find it amusing:

http://www.mandarintools.com/chinesename.html

[skylee]

Perhaps you could consider 史 範 德 (shi3 fan4 de3) ...

[xus-swede]

skylee: is that something I could use? Or should I disregard the whole thing?

[mr.stinky]

apparently you can choose anything you like, a transliteration is not necessary.

if that is wrong, someone please correct me.

"da shan" was taken, so i think i'll go with "chou doufu."

[malinuo]

Da Shan's (Mark Rowswell) original Chinese name was 路世伟 Lù Shìweǐ, which is a clear transcription of his family name. He chose 大山 for one of his first stage performances, and the name stuck.

But, yes, I have the impression that you could use any kind of name. However, I have never met anyone who has diverted much from his real name. Transcription is not needed, by the way. One guy I know is called le Roy ("the king"), and consequently added 王 to his Chinese name, even though it doesn't sound like le Roy at all.