姓氏 (xìng shì) — family name; surname

Definition

姓氏 (xìng shì) is the formal written term for 'surname, family name,' used in formal or literary contexts. In everyday speech, use 姓; 贵姓 is the polite way to ask someone's surname.

noun
family namesurname
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 姓氏
    Qǐng wèn nín de xìng shì zěn me chēng hu?
    May I ask what your family name is?
  • 姓氏
    Zài zhōng guó, lǐ hé wáng shì zuì cháng jiàn de xìng shì.
    In China, Li and Wang are the most common surnames.
  • 姓氏
    Tōng guò xìng shì kě yǐ liǎo jiě yí gè jiā tíng de lì shǐ.
    Through one's family name, you can learn about a family's history.

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