studentyoung Posted February 18, 2008 at 08:55 AM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 08:55 AM Are you still going to be using the name 马? If so I wouldn't use 通理 as it would come out sounding like in the toilet 马桶里 Ooop:oops:. It really sounds not so good. I’m so sorry for that! Do you mind change your surname as 麦mai4, so.many.words? 麦通理(mai4 tong1 li3). I hope it won’t bring you any embarrassment this time. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muyongshi Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:12 AM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:12 AM Yeah I know there is a ton like that and I am hoping to prevent your from the same fate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so.many.words Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:13 AM Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:13 AM Ooop. It really sounds not so good. I’m so sorry for that! ........I knew this was going to be fun and I really am having a good time so just be sure that you know this .. As it turns out I can have anything I like as a 名字 and any 姓 Is 通理 still good if I change the 姓 ...but not 麦 because it is a female name in English (May). I will have a look at 姓 and try to pick something that is nice to draw ...and one that keeps me out of the toilet:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:19 AM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:19 AM On the other hand, there are many people whose surname is May (e.g. if you follow cricket at all, I'm sure you'd recognise the name Tim May). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentyoung Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:34 AM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:34 AM Yeah I know there is a ton like that and I am hoping to prevent your from the same fate! Hehe. Thank you so much for your kindness, muyongshi! but not 麦 because it is a female name in English (May). Hehe. Sometime can Mc be麦. You know McDonald’s, right? McDonal’s in Chinese is 麦当劳. As a surname, May is usually translated in Chinese as "梅 mei2"(also a surname in Chinese), not 麦. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luobot Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:42 AM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:42 AM so.many.words, I don't know how you managed to go from a name that means Divine Reason to one suggesting the Toilet Within (as in, "your inner toilet," which is still spiritual sounding, in an ironic sort of way), but if I were you, I would just stick with your original choice. If 天理 came to you via the Muse, then there must be a Reason. (Disclaimer -- The cosmic danger is that if you don't live up to 天理, then you may very well be 马桶里. For protection, consider taking out toilet insurance.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so.many.words Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:56 AM Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 09:56 AM I wondered how long it would be before some clever-trousers would put my highest and lowest points together ... (Disclaimer -- The cosmic danger is that if you don't live up to 天理, then you may very well be 马桶里. Yes ... I too think the Gods are having a bit of fun with me right now ....by the way, the wife of the guy that died on the toilet (a true story), wrote to the Goodies thanking them for making her husbands last moments such happy ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so.many.words Posted February 18, 2008 at 11:16 AM Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 11:16 AM Do you have any characters you do not like to draw, I have a few too and 麦 could easily be one. what about 田通理 tian2 tong1li3 I like it because of the repeat of shapes ... is that silly?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huisheng Posted February 18, 2008 at 03:55 PM Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 at 03:55 PM You know in Australia, there is an Asian supermarket chain called 通利. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentyoung Posted February 19, 2008 at 06:59 AM Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 at 06:59 AM what about 田通理 tian2 tong1li3I like it because of the repeat of shapes ... is that silly?? Hehe. At least, I don’t think so. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natalielle Posted February 21, 2008 at 02:48 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 at 02:48 PM here are some suggestions for you: 1.In my opinion, 天理is really not a good choice. 2.天霖 could be a good idea. Tian(1) Lin(2) is exactly how it sounds, and the meaning of it is " a good rain after a long drought; timely rainfall " 3.What is your lastname anyway? It is important that you must pick a "right" Chinese character for it. Cause if you pick a wrong character, the meaning of your name could be very funny just like 馬桶裡 or 梅（沒）天理。（梅mei2 sounds like 沒mei2, the meaning of 沒in here could be realized as ''wothout''.） 3.If you like 天霖，馬天霖could be a good choice for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so.many.words Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:12 PM Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:12 PM 馬天霖 is a stunning suggestion, it has 天 that I love the sound, 霖 is much like my partners name 琳 ...the literal meaning is terrific and unless muyongshi finds a 'sounds like' then I think that this one is definitely my new name Natalielle, I am grateful to you, I hope this one works out because I do like it very much. Today I will have a nice day and I will think of your kindness often. 馬天霖 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsrguru Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:30 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:30 PM Tony, where do you plan on using this Chinese name? If the answer is Mainland China, make sure that you learn to write the simplified form 马天霖. I've heard that you can get fined 1000元 for writing traditional characters for non-calligraphic purposes in the PRC. I'm not sure if that is still true, though. I can't help with Chinese names, by the way. I once considered using a purposely generic-sounding name like 王明平! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
so.many.words Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:45 PM Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 at 10:45 PM WOW!! .. ..is that true, just as you wrote this I was looking at at the traditional of 马. 馬 is such a pretty character and I was thinking of using it. This is really interesting news, and leaves me the last task of using 馬 or 马. Outside of PRC I would use 馬 but would love to know if anybody can be sure about using a traditional character in everyday writing. WOW!! .. ...I had not expected to ask such a question ....and I gotta say I just feel like you are all taking such good care of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muyongshi Posted February 22, 2008 at 12:03 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 12:03 AM I've heard that you can get fined 1000元 for writing traditional characters for non-calligraphic purposes in the PRC Tis not true so don't worry however I would suggest using simplified in the mainland. However, names are one of those that if you used traditional I could see people being more forgiving towards and 馬 is on that would be more readily recognized. But don't worry about somebody fining you for it (even if there is some obscure rule there is no writing police that sits reading over people's shoulder). unless muyongshi finds a 'sounds like' Don't kill me...it sounds like martin I'll let you know if something pops up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsrguru Posted February 22, 2008 at 12:55 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 12:55 AM Tis not true so don't worry however I would suggest using simplified in the mainland. ... But don't worry about somebody fining you for it (even if there is some obscure rule there is no writing police that sits reading over people's shoulder). Good, thanks. I think I read that on Wikipedia, but I'm glad it's not a real issue. I guess the fact that most mainlanders can't read traditional characters would be the bigger problem with writing 馬. If a famous person from Taiwan or Hong Kong were to sign his or her autograph in the PRC, would he be expected/required to change traditional-only characters to simplified? I know people in the Western world don't really care if they can read someone's signature, but I wonder what the story is in China. Tony, good luck with your 中國名字. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentyoung Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:08 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:08 AM I've heard that you can get fined 1000元 for writing traditional characters for non-calligraphic purposes in the PRC. What happened? I've been living in China mainland all the time, but I haven't heard of such a thing. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsrguru Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:21 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:21 AM I read that here, but muyongshi has assured me that big 哥哥 and the thought police from 一九八四年 won't hunt you down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studentyoung Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:46 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:46 AM I read that here, but muyongshi has assured me that big 哥哥 and the thought police from 一九八四年 won't hunt you down. Sorry, your link doesn't work. Could you please paste the whole text? What's more, 1984? Many years ago. Well, at least, there are a lot of Hong Kong businessmen in China mainland writing traditional characters in their business letters. None of them get fined. I can get books printed in traditional characters easily in Guangzhou. I've heard that you can get fined 1000元 for writing traditional characters for non-calligraphic purposes in the PRC. Could you please tell others that the information was in 1984 next time? Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsrguru Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:59 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 at 01:59 AM I was referring to the book 1984 by George Orwell, not the year. That link works for me, but the URL is . It says that "The mainland Chinese government have also enforced a law, where a fine of 1000 yuan can be imposed if traditional characters are used in place of the legally sanctioned simplified characters." muyongshi said not to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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