名称

• Pinyin: míng chēng
• Hanzi breakdown: 名 (míng) — name; 称 (chēng) — to call, to address

Meaning

Name; title; designation. The formal name of a place, organisation, product, or thing.

More formal than 名字, which is used for personal names. 名称 is used for official names of companies, products, places, and other non-personal entities. Common in forms, documents, and official contexts.

Examples

1. 请填写公司的名称。 Please fill in the name of the company.
2. 这个产品的名称是什么？ What is the name of this product?
3. 这条路的名称改了。 The name of this road has been changed.

Usage Guide

Context: official, business, documents

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 请写上商品名称。(Please write the product name.)
• 这所学校的名称很长。(The name of this school is very long.)

Don't Say

• 不要用'名称'来问别人的名字 (Don't say 你的名称是什么 to ask someone's personal name — use 名字 for people; 名称 is for things and organisations)

Origin & History

Compound of 名 (name) and 称 (to call, to address). Together they form a more formal word for 'name' or 'designation' used for non-personal entities.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal