Why does Yao Ming's jersey say "Yao" and not "Ming" on the back?

Question

his jersey says Yao. But that is his first name. They normally have their last name on the back of their jersey.

Answer 1

Because Chinese names are backward. Yao is actually his surname and Ming is his first or given name.

You can read it in his profile with the link below.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/yao_ming/bio.html

Answer 2

Many Asian cultures, including Chinese, follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. A Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next. For instance, Yao Ming would be addressed as "Mr. Yao", not "Mr. Ming" because Yao is his family name and Ming is his given name.

Note, however, that some Chinese people who emigrate to, or do business with, Western countries sometimes adopt a Westernized name by simply reversing the "surname–given-name" order to "given-name–surname" ("Ming Yao", to follow the previous example), or with a Western first name together with their surname, which is then written in the usual Western order with the surname last ("Fred Yao"). Other Chinese people sometimes take a combined name, consisting of Western first name, surname, and Chinese given name, in that order ("Fred Yao Ming"), mostly in Hong Kong, or in the order of Western first name, Chinese given name, and surname ("Fred Ming Yao").

Answer 3

in china, they put their first names after the last names

so his name should be Ming Yao

but in chinese its pronounced Yao Ming

but Yao is his surname, so they put Yao

and its cooler than Ming, right??

Answer 4

in china you have to reach this level and he reached it so it's Yao not Ming

Answer 5

its probably because azians like me the last name that is in the first is actually the last name you knaw mean? so yao is actually his last name but in english it's his first name. its just the way it is written thats how my name is in chinese

Answer 6

In Chinese, peoples last name is like their first name.

Answer 7

.In China they say their names backward so they put his first name in place of his last name.

Answer 8

in chinese, the last name (family name) goes in the front. like bruce lee, his chinese name will be lee something something, except it wont be pronounced lee(english) it will be pronounced lay(chinese).