Let us have a look at some great examples of Western companies choosing great Chinese names for their brands in China.
Considered by some a masterpiece of choosing great Chinese names, 宜家 (Yí jiā) means “proper home” or “suitable home”. Phonetically it even sounds quite close to the pronounciation of “Ikea”.
Coca-Cola has had a somewhat interesting history in China. First sold already in 1927 the brand was quite successful and sold over a million crates a year in Shanghai until it was discontinued in 1949 as Mao’s communists came to power and only came back in 1979 as one of the very first American brands to re-enter China.
The Chinese name: 可口可乐 (pronounced: Kĕkŏu Kĕlè) means tasty/delicous happiness. Great name!
Marriot picked an interesting Chinese name as well. 万豪酒店 (Pronounciation: Wànháo jiǔdiàn) translates to 10,000 – grand/rich – hotel, alluding to the brand image the higher end chain wants to create.
with every Chinese character having a very distinct meaning, translating your company phonetically might be a disaster.
Finding the right Chinese name for a business is an art in itself, as the Chinese name has to fulfill quite a lot of criteria:
Just look at Ikea’s example above. The Chinese name 宜家 (Yí jiā) means “proper home” or “suitable home” and appeals to people looking to furnish their apartment. It reflects the practical approach of the Swedish retailer and transfers it to a word that it is easily understandable and easy to pronounce for Chinese.
Care for a ride in my “precious horse”?
BMW’s Chinese brand is a great example of choosing a name that fits to Chinese culture. The Chinese name 宝马 translates to “precious horse” and builds an instant connection with Chinese culture. Horses are seen as noble and powerful animals and an important animal in the Chinese horoscope. The pronounciation “Bǎomǎ” is on point and resembles “BMW”.
Western brands often try to create long names that sound as close to the original brand as possible. That is always a bad idea, as it forces your Chinese customers to memorize long and complicated names.
Hershey knew how to do it right: they just named their company 好时 (Hǎo shí), which translates to “good times”.
Our packages all come with the creation of a great Chinese name for your business. Our certified translators are native Chinese, well traveled and trained in tourism. They will make sure that you can build a strong connection with your Chinese visitors right from the very beginning.
We will not only create the name, but also brief you on the exact meaning and pronunciation, so that you are ready for Chinese visitors.