💡Last Name Chinese meaning | Is it a first name or a last name? First Name/Forename/Surname form filling tutorial🚀📚
Date of publication: 06/06/2025
[English name filling in the form] What is the Chinese for First name and Last name? Is the First name a surname or a given name? Parents must learn this article to understand! 🧐
Whether it is enrolling in overseas courses, applying for school forms, or buying air tickets to travel abroad, many Hong Kong parents often feel confused when they encounter English terms such as "First name" and "Last name" - Is the First name a surname or a given name? Is the Last name a surname? What is the Chinese word for Given name? How to fill in the First name? These questions may seem simple, but if you fill them in incorrectly, it may affect the validity of the document or even result in the student being rejected for registration!
Today we will answer all your questions about "first name last name in Chinese" at once, and teach you how to correctly convert your child's Chinese name into English, helping you avoid mistakes in all aspects, so you don't have to worry about filling out forms anymore! 👇
1.📌 Understand the Chinese meaning of First name and Last name at once
💡In Hong Kong, children's Chinese names are usually arranged in "surname given name", such as "Chen Xiaoming" and "Wang Jiaxin", which is exactly the opposite of the order of English names. In English, "First name" is the given name, and "Last name" is the surname. 👄
Example: Siu Ming Chan & Ka Yan Wong
- ✅ First name Chinese meaning: name (such as: Xiao Ming, Jia Xin)
- ✅ Last name Chinese meaning: surname (such as: Chen, Wang)
This is why when you fill out English forms, you are often asked "How do I fill in my first name?" or "What is my last name?"
The answer is: Last name is the Chinese surname, and First name is the given name.
2.🔁 Can’t tell the difference between First name, Last name, Given name and Surname?
The following will help you break it down one by one:
English words and Chinese meanings
First name: The name is usually what you call yourself in daily life, such as "Xiao Ming"
Last name: Family name, such as "Chen", "Li", "Huang"
Given name: Name (including middle name) includes First name and Middle name
Surname: British usage of surname, equivalent to Last name
Family name: The last name is equivalent to the last name, more formal
Forename: A synonym for First name.
Middle name: The middle name is sandwiched between the first name and the last name. Most Europeans and Americans have this name.
Full name： 全名 First name Middle name Last name
Aliasv Nickname/alias such as Chris, Amy, used in social or informal situations
🧒 Example explanation: Take the child’s name Chan Siu Ming as an example
- First name: Siu Ming (name)
- Last name: Chan
- Full name：Chan Siu Ming
- Given name: Siu Ming (or Siu Ming middle name, if any)
- Surname / Family name：Chan
🌍 Why do English names have to be divided into First name and Last name?
🧐In Western culture, the last name indicates family bloodline, while the first name is a personal identification name. Some people also have a middle name, such as Nicole Mary Kidman, where:
- Nicole is the first name
- Mary 是 Middle name
- Kidman is the last name
But for us Chinese, middle names are not common, so when filling out English forms, if you do not have a middle name, you can choose to leave it blank.
3. 🛂 「First name last name Chinese」form filling tutorial (applicable to passport/visa/registration form)
On official documents, such as passports or admissions applications, the order and placement of names is particularly important:
✅ Correct example:
- English spelling: HUI, KONG-HON (Xu Guanghan)
- First name：KONG-HON
- Last name：HUI
🔸 The last name comes first, followed by a comma, and then the first name 🔸 A hyphen (-) or a space can be used in the middle of the first name, for example, KONG-HON or KONG HON are both OK
📌 Important reminder:
- Last name must be the same as in your passport
- Avoid switching first and last names, otherwise they will be considered as different individuals.
- If you are unsure, you can use the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Name English Translation System" or the pinyin suggestions provided by the school.
4.❓ Frequently Asked Questions Q&A
🔸 First name: first name or last name?
➡️ It’s a first name, not a last name!
🔸 Is Last name a first name?
➡️ No, Last name is the surname.
🔸 How to interpret First name last name in Chinese?
➡️ First name is the first name and Last name is the last name.
🔸 How to fill in First name?
➡️ Just fill in your child’s name (e.g. Siu Ming); if there is a middle name, add it.
💡 Parents must learn: When choosing an English name for your child, don’t forget the last name!
In Hong Kong, many students use English names such as Amy and Jason, but these are usually just aliases. In official documents, the full name on the passport should be used. Therefore:
- Correct use of first name and last name
- Understand the meaning of Given name and Family name
- Don't confuse last name with first name anymore!
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