About
The character 名 combines 夕 (evening) above 口 (mouth). Its origin reflects a practical scenario: after sunset, when visibility is low, people used their mouths to identify themselves in the dark. Thus, the primary meaning is a person's name or title for identification. From this core idea of a spoken identifier, the meaning naturally extended to include reputation, fame, and the general designation or classification of things.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的名字是李明。
请问你叫什么名字？
这座城市很有名。
我想报名参加比赛。
请查看参加者名单。
他以个人名义捐款。
我正在读一本名著。
尽管他不出名，但他的作品很有名。