改名

• Pinyin: gǎi míng
• Hanzi breakdown: 改 = 己 + 攴 (change, alter); 名 = 夕 + 口 (name, reputation)

Meaning

To change a name; to rename. Refers to changing the name of a person, place, company, or product.

Can refer to both formally changing a legal name and informally adopting a new name. Common in legal, corporate, and everyday contexts. The more official written variant 更名 appears in formal documents and legal filings. Key collocations: 公司改名 (company name change), 品牌改名 (brand renaming). The idiom 改名换姓 implies a complete identity change and often appears in historical or dramatic contexts.

Examples

1. 该科技企业在完成战略转型后宣布正式改名，新名称更能体现其业务方向与品牌定位。 After completing its strategic transformation, the tech company announced it was officially changing its name; the new name better reflects its business direction and brand positioning.
2. 这座城市在解放后多次改名，最终于上世纪八十年代恢复了沿用数百年的历史旧称。 After liberation, the city was renamed several times and ultimately, in the 1980s, restored the historic name that had been used for centuries.
3. 她出道时依照经纪公司的建议改名，以更贴近目标受众的审美偏好和市场定位。 When she debuted, she changed her name on her agency’s advice to better match the tastes of her target audience and the market positioning.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, corporate, everyday, history

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公司决定在完成重组后正式改名，新名称需经工商部门审核备案方可对外使用。(The company decided to formally change its name after completing the restructuring; the new name must be reviewed and registered with the business administration authority before external use.)
• 球队在易主后随即宣布改名，并发布了全新的队徽设计，标志着新时代的正式开启。(After changing ownership, the team immediately announced a name change and released an entirely new badge design, marking the official start of a new era.)

Don't Say

• 改名了一个计划 — 改名 specifically refers to changing a name; use 重新命名 or 更改名称 if emphasising formality, and use 修改计划 for changing a plan's content

Origin & History

改 (change/revise) + 名 (name)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal