surname
On'yomi (音読み)
- セイ
- ショウ
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
—
About this kanji
The kanji 「姓」 primarily means 'surname' or 'family name' in Japanese. It is typically used as a noun rather than a verb. You might encounter it in compound words like 旧姓 (きゅうせい), which means 'original family name,' or 姓名 (せいめい), referring to a full name. Another common term is 同姓 (どうせい), meaning 'same surname.' A notable compound is 百姓 (ひゃくしょう), which means 'farmer' and refers to a class of individuals rather than just a surname. Keep in mind that while this kanji exclusively relates to family names, it is an important part of identity in Japanese culture.
Example sentences
彼女の姓は山田です。
Her last name is Yamada.
Meanings across languages
- English
- surname
- Tiếng Việt
- họ
- 日本語
- 姓
- 한국어
- 성
- 中文
- 姓
- id
- nama keluarga
- th
- นามสกุล
- es
- apellido
- fr
- nom de famille
- de
- Nachname
- pt
- sobrenome
Common compounds
- 旧姓きゅうせいone's original family name, maiden name
- 姓名せいめい(full) name, family name and given name
- 同姓どうせいsame surname
- 百姓ひゃくしょうfarmer, peasant, farm laborer
- 異姓いせいdifferent surname, different family name
- 下姓げしょうperson of humble birth
- 改姓かいせいchange of one's family name, changed family name
- 姓氏せいしfull name, family name, clan
Want to actually learn this kanji?
The dictionary is one view. The Kanji 360 app wraps every character with mnemonic images, audio readings, stroke-order animation, story context, and SRS scheduling — free to start on iPhone, iPad, and Android.