Cantonese name translation clarification
Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 12:01 pm
Hello everyone
I've done a fair bit of research in trying to find my lost Cantonese (Traditional Chinese) name which my mother (passed away nearly a year ago now) gave me when I was born, but ever since moving back to the UK where my father was from, the lack of using it meant I've forgotten the characters which were used. Since my Cantonese name was only used informally, I've not been able to locate any papers which might have had it. As an example, my mother had her Chinese name on her Hong Kong ID card; but on mine, only my English name is given.
However, using what tools available to me on the Internet, such as the Jyutping/English dictionary here, I've guestimate that it is as follows:
史 si2 (Cantonese phonetisation of the "S" in "Stanley")
德 dak1
遜 seon3
Which is deduced from the constituent meanings, as follows:
歷史 lik6 si2
道德 dou6 dak1
遜? seon3 lai?/laai? or perhaps 遜? seon3 gim?
I'm 99% certain I've got it right, since what vague recollection I have of it in written form, the radicals are what I seem to recall and cannot find any "similar" characters which would still have the same meaning.
I know my mother took great pains in giving me a good name as she was a firm believer (like all Chinese) that a good name is important, so the last thing I'd want to do is to get my own name wrong!
Thanks in advance for any help available.
I've done a fair bit of research in trying to find my lost Cantonese (Traditional Chinese) name which my mother (passed away nearly a year ago now) gave me when I was born, but ever since moving back to the UK where my father was from, the lack of using it meant I've forgotten the characters which were used. Since my Cantonese name was only used informally, I've not been able to locate any papers which might have had it. As an example, my mother had her Chinese name on her Hong Kong ID card; but on mine, only my English name is given.
However, using what tools available to me on the Internet, such as the Jyutping/English dictionary here, I've guestimate that it is as follows:
史 si2 (Cantonese phonetisation of the "S" in "Stanley")
德 dak1
遜 seon3
Which is deduced from the constituent meanings, as follows:
歷史 lik6 si2
道德 dou6 dak1
遜? seon3 lai?/laai? or perhaps 遜? seon3 gim?
I'm 99% certain I've got it right, since what vague recollection I have of it in written form, the radicals are what I seem to recall and cannot find any "similar" characters which would still have the same meaning.
I know my mother took great pains in giving me a good name as she was a firm believer (like all Chinese) that a good name is important, so the last thing I'd want to do is to get my own name wrong!
Thanks in advance for any help available.