The art of choosing the right Chinese name for a business

Creating a Chinese name is so much more than translation

Let us have a look at some great examples of Western companies choosing great Chinese names for their brands in China.

Ikea's Chinese name means proper/suitable home/family

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 means tasty/ delicious happiness in Chinese

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's Chinese 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.

How to create a great Chinese name

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:

1. Have a meaning that can be linked to  your brand

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.

2. Be a good fit to Chinese culture

BMW - Precious horse

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”.

BMW's Chinese name means precious horse

3. Be short, succinct and easy to remember

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”.

Good times - Hershey's Chinese name conveys great meaning

We want to create a great Chinese name for your business

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.

Learn more about our product packages!