Why does my grandpa have two chinese names?

Question

My grandfather has two chinese names. He used to receive letters under both names. Is it a taiwanese name and a chinese name? They sound nothing alike, so its not mandarin and cantonese.

Answer 1

Chinese in ancient times could have as much as three names. The first one was the one given at birth, the second one (zì字) given for men turning 20 and women upon marriage. The third one (Hào號) was a self-selected pseuydomn.

Zì字 was a name traditionally given to Chinese males at the age of 20, marking their coming of age. It was sometimes given to females upon marriage. The practice is no longer common in modern Chinese society. According to the Book of Rites （禮記）, after a man reaches adulthood, it is disrespectful for others of the same generation to address him by his name given at brith. Thus, the given name was reserved for oneself and one's elders, while the Zì字 would be used by adults of the same generation to refer to one another on formal occasions or in writing; hence the term 'courtesy name'.

Hào 號 was an alternative courtesy name, usually referred to as the pseudonym. It was usually self-selected and it was possible to have more than one. It had no connection with the bearer's name given at birth or zì; rather it was often a very personal, sometimes whimsical, choice perhaps embodying an allusion or containing a rare character, as might befit an educated literatus.

The above reflects the fact of ancient Chinese people having more than one Chinese name. But it applied to the great great grand "pa" generation.

A possible explanation may be that your grandfather got himself a Japanese name (but cast in three or four Chinese characters) during the Japanese occupation (1895 - end of Sino-Japanese War in 1945). During that period, Chinese in Taiwan were forced to learn Japanese, adopt Japanese names and convert to Japanese way of living. The former president of Taiwan, e.g. Lee Teng-hui used to have a Japanese name Iwasato Masao （岩里政男） . It is reported that Lee speaks more fluent Japanese than Chinese!!

As a related issue, mandarin and cantonese can sound very much differently even if of the same character. But then, if you can tell the difference by the writing on the envelopes, I suppose it has nothing to do with the 'difference in the sounds' of mandarin and cantonese but rather the fact that your grandpa does have two Chinese names.

Answer 2

Mandarin and Cantonese really do not sound a like anyway. Could it be that he put a false name on some documents? or perhaps one is a pet name.
It would probably be best to ask him.

Answer 3

This is the real secret of the number of chinese in the world.

Answer 4

Are they in Chinese characters? If we, then it may be that his name can be written in two ways, and people don't know which it is? Just a guess. :P

Answer 5

Perhaps he is trying to avoid creditors/ex-wives/something bad in his past?

Answer 6

maybe when he was born he got two names to choose but hasn't decided which one to use yet...

Answer 7

Pen name/real name?

Answer 8

its obvious, u r chinese related.

Answer 9

why dont you ask your grandpa, or another family member who might know.