Chinese name to hiragana
How do you write a Chinese name in Japanese hiragana?
The hiragana result shows a Japanese on-reading of the name’s kanji. It represents the same Japanese pronunciation as the katakana on-reading, written in a different script.
Convert my nameJapanese reading and Mandarin pronunciation are different
For 張偉, the Japanese on-reading can be written チョウ イ in katakana or ちょう い in hiragana. Those two forms have the same pronunciation.
This is not a transcription of Mandarin Zhāng Wěi. If you want to preserve the Mandarin sound, use the Mandarin-based katakana チャン・ウェイ or pinyin instead.
Chinese name examples in katakana and hiragana
These examples use NameFerry’s current Japanese on-reading rules. A kanji may have more than one possible reading.
| Chinese input | Japanese kanji | Katakana reading | Hiragana reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 张伟 | 張偉 | チョウ イ | ちょう い |
| 刘洋 | 劉洋 | リュウ ヨウ | りゅう よう |
| 吴昊 | 呉昊 | ゴ コウ | ご こう |
| 王小明 | 王小明 | オウ ショウメイ | おう しょうめい |
Keep the sound when you change scripts
Changing Katakana to Hiragana does not choose a new pronunciation. Small characters stay small, and long sounds keep their length. Try these before opening the answers.
チョウ イ → ちょう い
Match the characters in order: チ to ち, small ョ to small ょ, and ウ to う. Keep the space so the family name stays easy to identify.
ショウ ≠ シヨウ
Check the size before copying. しょう matches ショウ; しよう matches シヨウ. These are different readings, not just different fonts.
ショーン → しょーん
For a script comparison, retain the long-vowel mark ー. You are showing the same borrowed name in another script, not deriving a new pronunciation.
Write チョウ イ in Hiragana. Show answer
ちょう い. Keep the small ョ small: ょ.
Does ショウ become しょう or しよう? Show answer
しょう. A full-size よ would add a separate beat.
Should the ー disappear when comparing ショーン with Hiragana? Show answer
No. A character-by-character rendering is しょーん. Keep the long-vowel mark used in this borrowed name.
When should you use the hiragana result?
A field says ひらがな
Use hiragana when a Japanese form explicitly requests it. If the field says カタカナ or 全角カナ, use katakana instead.
You are learning the reading
Hiragana makes morae and long vowels easier for many learners to recognize.
You want the Mandarin sound
Choose the Mandarin-based katakana or pinyin and tell the other person which pronunciation you prefer.
You want one consistent reading
If the person already uses a preferred reading, save it with the Han-character name and keep it consistent in later introductions.
Get the appropriate hiragana in three steps
Enter the original Chinese name
Simplified and traditional characters are both accepted.
Check the Japanese on-reading
Review the katakana candidate, then compare its equivalent hiragana.
Copy the script the field requests
Use hiragana only for a hiragana field; do not swap scripts when katakana is required.
Confirm a person’s established reading
Kanji can have multiple readings, and a person may already use an established pronunciation. The generated result is a candidate, not the only possible answer.
If there is a name reading you would like us to add, contact us so NameFerry can continue improving.
Compare more ways to write a Chinese name in Japanese
How do you read a Chinese name in Japanese?
Read the main guide to distinguish kanji, Japanese on-readings, Mandarin pronunciation, and romaji.
How to write a Chinese name in Japanese Katakana
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How to fill in Furigana with a Chinese name
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How do you introduce your Chinese name in Japanese?
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See your Chinese name in hiragana
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