Chinese character names in Japanese
How are Chinese novel character names read in Japanese?
For a character in a Chinese novel, comic or drama, compare the Japanese kanji form, Japanese on-reading and Mandarin-based Katakana side by side.
Check a character nameRecognise a character’s written name but not its Japanese reading? The table below is about the names, so you can look them up without a plot recap.
One character name, two pronunciation references
諸葛亮 is read ショカツ リョウ in Japanese. Mandarin Zhūgě Liàng can be approximated as チューゲ・リアン. A Japanese edition and Chinese dialogue may therefore use quite different sounds for the same character. For a particular edition, its printed reading is the one to look up.
Chinese character name examples in Japanese
The first four are sample character names; the final three are familiar names from classical Chinese novels.
| Chinese name | Japanese kanji | On-reading | Hiragana | Romaji | Mandarin Katakana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 张伟 | 張偉 | チョウ イ | ちょう い | Chō I | チャン・ウェイ |
| 林雪 | 林雪 | リン セツ | りん せつ | Rin Setsu | リン・シュエ |
| 王宁 | 王寧 | オウ ネイ | おう ねい | Ō Nei | ワン・ニン |
| 欧阳云 | 欧陽雲 | オウヨウ ウン | おうよう うん | Ōyō Un | オウヤン・ユン |
| 诸葛亮 | 諸葛亮 | ショカツ リョウ | しょかつ りょう | Shokatsu Ryō | チューゲ・リアン |
| 孙悟空 | 孫悟空 | ソン ゴクウ | そん ごくう | Son Gokū | スン・ウーコン |
| 林黛玉 | 林黛玉 | リン タイギョク | りん たいぎょく | Rin Taigyoku | リン・ダイユー |
Finding the name in another text
Searching across scripts
王宁 may appear as 王寧 in Japanese. Search the original text with 王宁 and Japanese material with 王寧; the spelling difference does not identify a new character.
Zhuge is the surname
ショカツ リョウ separates 諸葛 from 亮. Likewise, 欧阳云 splits as 欧阳 / 云, not 欧 / 阳云.
Continue exploring Chinese names in Japanese
How do you read a Chinese name in Japanese?
Read the complete guide to the main ways a Chinese name can be represented in Japanese.
How are common Chinese given-name characters read in Japanese?
Compare Japanese glyphs, on-readings and Mandarin Katakana for common given-name characters.
How does a Chinese name change in Japanese kanji?
Compare Chinese name characters with commonly used Japanese forms.
How are Chinese compound surnames read in Japanese?
Compare Japanese glyphs, on-readings and Mandarin Katakana for compound Chinese surnames.
Try a Chinese character name
NameFerry shows Japanese kanji, on-readings, Kana, Romaji and a Mandarin pronunciation reference.