Kanji names

A

atashi kirei

後輩

29 Nov 2006

4

0

• 30 Nov 2006

• #1

Hello - I've read somewhere that some non-Japanese names have generally-accepted Kanji. Is this so? and is there a list anywhere? and what is the Kanji for Alice (Arisu) as in Alice in Wonderland, please?

有栖 seems to be right for Alice, but I've also seen 蟻巣 and 有巣 (and do these two have a meaning more connected with ants'-nests? - which would be curious...)

I'd love to know more about this. Thank you!

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

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8 Aug 2005

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• 30 Nov 2006

• #2

They are transliterations of non-Japanese names; the kanji are picked simply because they have a reading that sounds similar to a syllable or part of the name.

The common approach is to use katakana to transcribe one's name; I find it unnecessary and confusing when someone with a non-kanji name chooses some random characters to write their name. This is partially because there is meaning in the kanji that is often unrelated to the name itself, and also because there are multiple readings for most kanji, which makes actually reading the name a hit-or-miss affair.

Alice in katakana, by the way, would be アリス

 

Last edited: 30 Nov 2006

JimmySeal

Tubthumper

5 Mar 2006

1,516

78

• 30 Nov 2006

• #3

I don't know of such a list of established kanji for names. It seems the second one could be interpreted as "ants' nest." The other two would seem to mean something like "have a nest."

There's a restaurant a few towns over called Arisu. They spell it 亜梨巣.

 

A

atashi kirei

後輩

29 Nov 2006

4

0

• 1 Dec 2006

• Thread starter
• #4

Many thanks; I'd read that Arisu was a Japanese family name used for 'Alice' because of its similarity but that doesn't really follow if it's written アリス rather than ありす or kanji. I do see the sense in not trying to use kanji if the name's not Japanese (and indeed the sense in not calling one's restaurant "ants'-nest"...)

 

kamaru

先輩

7 Jul 2006

115

3

• 1 Dec 2006

• #5

Name translation ...

こんにちは。。
私の名前は Kamal です。。It's Arabic and means Perfection 。 I usually write it in カタカナ、カマル。I tried to translate it to 日本語 and got 完全 （かんぜん）。Can someone correct me if I'm wrong 。。I just want to make sure it's correct 。。
どもありがとう in advance 。。

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

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• 1 Dec 2006

• #6

kanzen is like complete, it's usually the word I see when I finish doing something. it's not a name.

 

kamaru

先輩

7 Jul 2006

115

3

• 1 Dec 2006

• #7

Oh I see, thanks for the explanation nice gaijin san ... so what would the correct translation for "perfection" as a name be ... ? I'm really eager to know it ...

 

P

pipokun

先輩

4 Feb 2005

2,559

46

• 1 Dec 2006

• #8

I think the popular name, makoto, includes the meaning of perfection, truth, true mind, or whatever.
Kanji for makoto is mainly as follows:
1. 誠
2. 真
The name, Makoto, is gender-free.
When you are going to create your transliterated name,
誠 has a sound as 'Sei'
真 has one as 'Shin'

 

kamaru

先輩

7 Jul 2006

115

3

• 6 Dec 2006

• #9

どもありがとう pipokun.It's much clearer now.I just have 1 more question: should the 2 漢字 be put together or is one enough and in this case which is more suitable ?
1.誠 or 2.真

 

P

pipokun

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4 Feb 2005

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• 6 Dec 2006

• #10

One character will do for the name, Makoto.
誠 has meanings such as honesty or faith
真 has meaning as truth or purity

It is a different character, but Abe's parents could choose 真 in his name, shinzo, 晋三.
And it is the same in the names like Shingo Katori, Shinosuke Nohara, Seiji Ozawa. You could use 誠 or 真 in the names.