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Chinese Name Pinyin

Turn a Chinese name into pinyin with or without tones, pick readings for polyphonic characters and get English name suggestions

Common surname pronunciations

Tap to expand. Compound surnames are included at the end.

Pinyin is generated from a public reading table of about 3,600 common characters and common surnames. Rare characters can be filled in manually. Names may have family-specific readings, so always confirm with the person concerned.

Frequently asked questions

Why does one character have several pinyin readings?

Many Chinese characters are polyphonic. The tool lists the common readings and picks one by default; for a name, choose the reading the family actually uses.

Why is my surname pinyin different from the dictionary reading?

Surnames often keep an old reading, for example 单 is shàn as a surname and 解 is xiè. The surname table here follows those surname-specific readings.

Can I use the English suggestions on a passport or ticket?

The suggestions show common ways to write a Chinese name in Latin letters. Official documents should follow the spelling printed on your passport or the airline’s rules.

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