Why Western Brands Need Chinese Names
The Chinese language differs from most others in that it uses characters (hanzi) to represent so-called morphemes - the smallest meaningful units of language - rather than an alphabet. While some characters originated as pictographs (like 山 for mountain), most Chinese characters combine parts that show both meaning and sound. Today's Chinese has thousands of characters compared to the 26 letters in the Latin alphabet, fundamentally affecting how Chinese readers process text.
Pinyin is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese. It uses the Latin alphabet to represent Chinese pronunciation, serving as both a learning tool and an input method for typing Chinese characters. When typing on phones and computers, Chinese users enter pinyin with the Latin alphabet, and the software suggests appropriate Chinese characters based on context.
However, Pinyin is not a replacement for hanzi, as many Chinese words share the same Pinyin spelling but are written with different characters and carry different meanings.
While Chinese people learn the Latin alphabet through Pinyin education (with exceptions among older generations), Chinese characters remain their primary reading system. Unlike Europeans, who share similar alphabets despite language differences, Chinese readers face a completely different writing system. This affects both readability and memorability of foreign brand names, which is crucial for brand recognition. Additionally, Chinese phonology differs significantly from Indo-European languages, making the pronunciation of foreign names more challenging.
For these reasons, successful Western brands in China create Chinese names using characters. These appear alongside their original names in marketing materials. For example, BMW uses 宝马 (bǎomǎ). While the original name indicates foreign origin, Chinese consumers primarily use the Chinese name in everyday conversation.
There are three main approaches to creating a Chinese brand name:
The simplest approach is literal translation of the original name's meaning. However, this often results in overly descriptive and unmemorable names. This is how brands that haven't created an official Chinese name are commonly referenced in China.
The second approach focuses on phonetic similarity, creating a name that sounds like the original when pronounced in Chinese. While better than direct translation, these names often lack meaningful associations.
The most effective approach combines phonetic similarity with positive meaning. A classic example is Coca-Cola's Chinese name 可口可乐 (kěkǒu kělè), which both approximates the original pronunciation and means "delicious and enjoyable" - a perfect combination.
Here are a few examples from perfume brands:
Dior. Chinese name: 迪奥 (Dí'ào). Meaning: Enlighten/Guide; Profound/Mysterious
Chanel. Chinese name: 香奈儿 (Xiāngnài'ér). Meaning: Fragrant
Jo Malone London. Chinese name: 祖·玛珑 (Zǔ Mǎlóng). Meaning: Ancestor; Agate/Jade gem
Hermès. Chinese name: 爱马仕 (Àimǎshì). Meaning: Love; Horse; Official/Serve
Atelier Cologne. Chinese name: 欧珑 (Ōulóng). Meaning: Europe; Gem/Jade carving
Documents. Chinese name: 闻献 (Wénxiàn). Meaning: Smell/Hear/Reputation; Offer/Present
As you can see, in most cases the pronunciation resembles the original name while carrying a positive meaning that is either vaguely or directly related to the brand's business.
Recommended process for creating a Chinese brand name:
Generate multiple potential names through brainstorming, narrowing down to a shortlist of the most promising candidates.
Test market reception through consumer research, including surveys and focus groups, to understand associations and perceptions of different character combinations.
Conduct thorough due diligence by checking existing brand usage and trademark registrations to avoid potential conflicts.
Finally—select the winning name and register it as a trademark.