Chinese surname readings
How are common Chinese surnames read in Japanese?
A Chinese surname may have a Japanese kanji on-reading and a separate Katakana approximation of its Mandarin pronunciation. This chart keeps the two systems apart.
Look up a full nameWhy can Zhang be both チョウ and チャン?
Simplified 张 maps to the Japanese glyph 張. Its Japanese on-reading is チョウ, while Mandarin Zhāng can be approximated as チャン. One answers how the kanji is read in Japanese; the other approximates the Chinese surname’s sound.
Japanese texts and historical references may use an on-reading. A person introducing themselves may instead use a reading based on Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese Hokkien or another established pronunciation.
Common Chinese surnames in Japanese
Mandarin Katakana is approximate. The person’s established reading takes priority.
| Chinese surname | Japanese glyph | Japanese on-reading | Mandarin Katakana |
|---|---|---|---|
| 王 | 王 | オウ | ワン |
| 李 | 李 | リ | リー |
| 张 | 張 | チョウ | チャン |
| 刘 | 劉 | リュウ | リウ |
| 陈 | 陳 | チン | チェン |
| 杨 | 楊 | ヨウ | ヤン |
| 黄 | 黄 | コウ | フアン |
| 赵 | 趙 | チョウ | チャオ |
| 吴 | 呉 | ゴ | ウー |
| 周 | 周 | シュウ | チョウ |
| 徐 | 徐 | ジョ | シュー |
| 孙 | 孫 | ソン | スン |
| 胡 | 胡 | ウ | フー |
| 朱 | 朱 | シュ | チュー |
| 高 | 高 | コウ | ガオ |
| 林 | 林 | リン | リン |
| 何 | 何 | カ | ヘ |
| 郭 | 郭 | カク | グオ |
| 罗 | 羅 | ラ | ルオ |
| 郑 | 鄭 | テイ | チェン |
| 欧阳 | 欧陽 | オウヨウ | オウヤン |
| 司马 | 司馬 | シバ | スーマ |
How to use the chart
Glyph conversion
Simplified surnames such as 张, 刘, 陈 and 杨 map to 張, 劉, 陳 and 楊 in common Japanese glyph forms.
On-reading is not Mandarin
王 is オウ as a Japanese on-reading and ワン as a Mandarin approximation; 陈 is チン versus チェン.
Compound surnames
欧阳 and 司马 must first be recognized as two-character family names before the readings are combined.
Given names add ambiguity
A full name may contain characters with several Japanese readings or polyphonic Mandarin pronunciations.
From surname chart to full-name result
Identify the family name
Check whether it is one character or a compound surname such as 欧阳.
Choose one reading system
Use Japanese on-reading or Mandarin Katakana by context rather than mixing them.
Convert the full name
Review character-level candidates and complete-name output in the converter.
This is not a Japanese surname chart
林 can be a Japanese surname read はやし, but that is a different question. This page covers Chinese surnames represented through Japanese on-readings and Mandarin pronunciation aids; it does not rename a person.
For a real person, prefer their stated pronunciation, business card, official profile or established usage.
Continue exploring Chinese name readings
How do you read a Chinese name in Japanese?
Learn how the two reading systems work across a complete Chinese name.
How is the Chinese surname Zhang read in Japanese?
Compare Zhang in Japanese kanji, Katakana, Hiragana, Romaji and Mandarin pronunciation.
How are Chinese compound surnames read in Japanese?
Compare Japanese glyphs, on-readings and Mandarin Katakana for compound Chinese surnames.
Does the family name or given name come first?
Match family and given names with common Japanese and English field labels.
Look up the complete name
Enter a Simplified or Traditional name to review each character, alternative readings, Mandarin Katakana and Pinyin.