更名 (gēng míng) — to change a name, to rename

Definition

Formal verb meaning 'to change a name / rename,' typically used for official entities like companies, schools, or people. Contrast with the everyday 改名, which is more colloquial for the same action.

verb
to change a nameto rename

Examples

  • 更名。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zuì jìn gēng míng le.
    This company recently changed its name.
  • ，。
    Tā gèng guò yí cì míng, xiàn zài jiào zhāng wěi.
    He changed his name once; now he's called Zhang Wei.
  • 更名。
    Xué xiào jué dìng gēng míng yǐ jì niàn lǎo xiào zhǎng.
    The school decided to rename to commemorate the old principal.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

更gèngchange
名míngname

The idea of changing a name is built from 更 (change) and 名 (name).

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pūhand holding a whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
𰀒
𰀒𰀒更gēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form showed two chariots, 𰀒; 攴, a hand holding a whip, was added to show action, and one chariot part was dropped. The remaining part changed into the shape seen in 更.

Open 更 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

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