Nothing perhaps can sound more comical to the unaccustomed ear than the monotonous “ching, chong, chow, fee, fo, fum,” of which sounds, with others like them, the Chinese syllabary appears principally to consist. Yet the Chinese symbols possess a wealth of meaning and expression of which few, if any, languages can boast; and in none perhaps are the proper names so universally composed of words which form part and parcel of the language itself. Consequently Chinese names, both of men and places, always have a meaning, and a large proportion of them are represented by words in common use.

Chinese surnames, which, as I have remarked in a former chapter, are but limited in number, are as a rule composed of but one character. Names are generally made up of two, and characters having a felicitous meaning are always selected. The surname always precedes the names. For example, supposing a man's name to be Kung, “Palace,” and his names Pao Yeng, “Precious Recompense,” his card would indicate him as Kung Paoyeng, “Palace Precious Recompense.” Another man's surname may be Wang, “King,” and his name Ta Leuh, “Great Six,” probably from his being a sixth child or son. He would be styled Wang Taleuh.

In some provinces it is common amongst intimates to add the familiar prefix of Ah to the second character of the name: as, for example, the two persons just named would be severally called, Ahyeng and Ahleuh.