Chinese name character
Chinese name character 子
zǐ
The character 子 (Mandarin zǐ) appears in 14 names and 5 syllables in this reference and is spelled Zi, Tsu, Tzu, Tze and Zii in Malaysia. Recorded meanings include “child, son; seed” and “child; offspring”.
- Names and syllables
- 19
- Malaysian spellings
- 6
- Strokes
- 3
- Attested in records
- 7
19 names and syllables in this reference have 子 as one of their character options. For 7 of them, 子 is attested in records of real names; the rest are possible characters for that spelling.
Meanings of 子: the recorded options
child, son; seed
in 17 character options · attested
child; offspring
in 3 character options · attested
Unihan definition: offspring, child; fruit, seed of; first earthly branch
What a name means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine; these are options, not one definite meaning.
Malaysian spellings of 子
| Spelling | Romanization | attested in name records |
|---|---|---|
| Zi | Mandarin | attested in name records |
| Tsu | Hokkien | attested in name records |
| Tzu | Hokkien | attested in name records |
| Tze | Cantonese | possible |
| Zii | Hakka · Foochow | possible |
| Chee | Cantonese | possible |
Readings of 子 by dialect
Readings from the character options in our name records; Unihan gives Mandarin zǐ and Cantonese zi2.
14 names that can be written with 子
5 syllables that can stand for 子
Sources
- Wiktionary: 子 · en.wiktionary.org · meaning
- MDBG: 子 · mdbg.net · meaning
- Unicode Unihan Database: U+5B50 · unicode.org · meaning
Readings, meanings and stroke count: the character options in our name records and the Unicode Unihan Database (Unicode License). A spelling describes how a name is written, not anyone’s dialect or background.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 子 mean in a name?
Our records give several meanings for 子, including “child, son; seed” and “child; offspring”. What a name actually means depends on the characters the family chose and how they combine.
How is 子 spelled in Malaysia?
In our records 子 is spelled Zi (Mandarin), Tsu (Hokkien), Tzu (Hokkien), Tze (Cantonese), Zii (Hakka, Foochow) and Chee (Cantonese). A spelling follows a dialect’s romanization; it does not show which dialect anyone speaks.
Is every Zi written 子?
Not necessarily. The spelling Zi can also stand for 梓, 紫, 資. Only the family knows which character was chosen.