Good Characters, Inc. Blog

Lord Mayor of London David Brewer is well liked in China. He has visited the country 105 times, fostering economic cooperation between China and England. Brewer greets people in Chinese and has taken great care to master the proper pronunciation of many Chinese terms. Unlike most public officials, he is warm and friendly and very happy to talk with people, whether they are business leaders, government representatives, or journalists. On one occasion, while visiting Shanghai, he spoke fondly of Tsingtao beer and shared chocolates with reporters.

The mayor’s popularity in China is enhanced by his choice of an official Chinese name. His Chinese name is Bai Lewei. Brewer wisely did not simply have his name transliterated, but carefully selected characters that would communicate friendliness and strength. Bai means white. Le means joy, which matches the enthusiasm with which Brewer operates. Wei, meaning might, speaks of the power of his position and his abilities. His is a name with good meanings.

In choosing a good Chinese name, the Lord Mayor has created a positive impression of himself, his city, and his country among the people of China. He has demonstrated great respect for the Chinese people. They like him so well they have nicknamed him “Mr. China.”

Links:

• Shanghai to boost cooperation with the city of London 
• Official Profile: Lord Mayor - Alderman David Brewer
• Bai Lewei Shares Chocolates with Shanghai Reporters (Chinese)
  酷爱青啤的白乐威与记者共享巧克力

Millions of affluent Chinese in Asia enjoy tasty California agricultural products from the San Joaquin Valley. Yet when you ask Chinese business people about the Valley or its largest city, Fresno, the majority will say, “What? Where?” It makes you wonder if people in Asia think California cherries are grown in Hollywood or San Francisco.

Why is there so little name recognition in Greater China of this city and this region? The reason may be that there is no official Chinese name for Fresno and no consensus on how to translate the name into Chinese. Ask 10 Chinese-Americans who live in Fresno how to say Fresno in Chinese and you are likely to get at least 5 different answers.

A simple 20-minute search on the Internet yields 18 different transliterations of Fresno in Chinese. Their meanings range from Buddha-Thunder-This-Promise, fo-lei-si-nuo, to Fortune-Moist-This-Promise, fu-run-si-nuo. Fresno has only a few Buddhist temples and thunder is just as rare. We must ask: Do these names give a good first impression for people who have yet to learn about Fresno? Will people recognize it as the same place when a newscaster talks about “Buddha-Thunder” and a travel guide says “Fortune-Moist”?

No name, no gain. The consequence of not having a strong, recognizable name is loss of investments, business opportunities, and tourist attraction.

Don’t wait to have others define your name. Take control and build a strong brand.

This article was first appeared at goodcharacters.com in July 2004.

In January 2005 Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-Bak asked China, Taiwan, and Singapore to adopt Shou’er as the new official transliterated Chinese name for Seoul instead of Hancheng, the historical name of the city from 1394 to 1910. The Korean King Yi Seonggye had named the city Hancheng, meaning “the fortress city on the Han River.” The initial reactions from the governments and people to the request were mostly cold, indifference, and even irritation. Then in October 2005, Xinhua news agency reported that China officially adopted Shou’er as the Chinese name for Seoul. Today most Chinese communities have adopted this new name.

The main complaints about the name change were, first of all, that Shou’er, roughly implying “the head” or “the capital city,” just doesn’t sound as strong or as brave as Hancheng. Second, people wondered if the real motivation behind the change was the longstanding effort of Koreans to remove their historical ties to the Chinese. The character Han in Hancheng was inspired by the Han River, but it also means man, hero, or the Chinese Han race and dynasty. For some, that would make Hancheng mean “The Chinese City.”

From the Korean point of view, the present name Seoul has been used since the end of WW II, and continuing to call Seoul Hancheng would cause confusion. And Koreans feel that the Chinese should respect their request for using the newly coined Chinese name for Seoul.

For me, the first thought that comes to my mind when I hear Shou’er is of the words hand and ear, also pronounced shou er, instead of Seoul. Hopefully years from now I’ll have the new vocabulary in mind instead.

Take control of your Chinese name and image. Seoul has done it.