译名 (yì míng) — translated name (by meaning or sound); transliteration

Definition

A 译名 is a name rendered in another language — either a 'translated name' (by meaning) or a 'transliteration' (by sound). Used mainly for people, places, and brands across languages.

noun
translated name (by meaning or sound)transliteration
Easily confused

Examples

  • 译名。
    Zhè ge yì míng bú tài zhǔn què.
    This translated name is not very accurate.
  • 译名。
    Wài guó míng rén de yì míng tōng cháng shì yīn yì.
    The translated names of foreign celebrities are usually transliterations.
  • ，译名。
    Fān yì yì běn shū shí, rén wù de yì míng bì xū yí zhì.
    When translating a book, the translated names of the characters must be consistent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

译yìtranslate
名míngname

A name produced by translation, with 译 meaning 'translate' and 名 meaning '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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 譯; 译 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
睪
睪yì譯yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 譯 uses 言 (say) with 睪 for its sound; the simplified 译 is a later shorthand.

Open 译 →

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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