Why does Yao Ming have Yao on his jersey and not Ming. I thought they had to have there last name on jersey?

Answer 1

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 2

Technically, in China, his name is Ming Yao. In the USA, though, they started calling him Yao because it was easier. They are actually calling him by his last name. THat is why his jersey says Yao.
Do you remember Wang Zhizhi? He played for the Dallas Mavericks for quite sometime and retired 2 seasons ago. His jersey also referred to him as Wang.

Answer 3

FYI: "I thought they had to have THEIR last name on jersey?"

Yao is on the jersey because that is his last name. In China, you say the lastname before the firstname. If he was American, his name would actually be Ming Yao.

Answer 4

Yao Ming's Last name is Yao.

It is different in Chinese.

Answer 5

i thought they say yao on the back because ming is a swear word in China

Answer 6

Newsflash: Chinese names go by the naming convention of
SURNAME GIVEN NAME

ergo,

YAO Ming

Answer 7

Yao IS his last name. The chinese say their surnames first before the given name

Answer 8

Yao is his last name; Chinese names start with the surname first.

Answer 9

its in his contact to have yao instead of ming..

Answer 10

In China, the last name comes first.