ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chinese given name

Okay kiddo, so when families in China have a baby, they give the baby a "given name." This name is special and usually has a meaning behind it. In Chinese culture, a person's name is very important and can even help determine their personality and future!

Chinese given names usually have two or three characters, which are kind of like special symbols that represent sounds and meanings. For example, the character "Jing" sounds like "jing" and can mean "quiet" or "respectful."

Sometimes, parents might choose a name based on the baby's birth date or the Chinese zodiac animal of the year.

Now, here's the cool part. In China, people usually write their last name first and their given name last. So, for example, if your last name was "Wang" and your given name was "Jing", you would be called "Wang Jing."

It's important to remember that not all Chinese names sound the same or have the same meanings, just like not all names in English are the same. But in Chinese culture, a person's given name is very special and meaningful.