View Message

Chiako: A very complicated question. In Japanese, first comes the sound of the name. Then a decision about how to write it in kana, the equivalent of our alphabet. Neither of these gives the meaning. I suspect that if the name is native Japanese (not borrowed from China), the original meaning was forgotten long ago. Girls' names are often written only in kana, I have heard. One explanation is that kana has a "softer" look. But words written with Chinese characters, called kanji, carry more dignity. Kanji are the "right" way to write things. My gaijin opinion is that denying a girl a kanji spelling of her name is denying her dignity. - And when kanji are used? Enormous complexity arises. An About web page says there are 80 different ways to write the name Keiko using kanji. Fortunately, a web page which I found lists "only" five ways to write Chiako. In other words, it gives five ways to apply Chinese-based meanings to this Japanese name. So not one of these is "the" meaning, in my opinion. Each is "a" meaning, although within the context of Japanese culture, certainly "a" valid meaning. - Chi-a-ko has three syllables, therefore various combinations of three kanji are used: 1. Thousand, love, child. I've read that "thousand" can be used to mean "very" or "lucky." "Child" in a girl's name ALWAYS means "girl." Boys are NEVER named "child." So I think a more appropriate translation in a name is "girl." Therefore, maybe, "very beloved girl," or "lucky beloved girl." 2. Thousand, Asia, child. "Lucky (fortunate) Asian girl?" 3. Thousand, I (my, mine), child. I'm at a loss to derive a sensible meaning out of that, but that really is one way to "spell" Chiako. 4. Wisdom, Asia, child. You're one smart cookie kid. You go, girl! 5. Another "spelling" using "wisdom," but I couldn't read the middle character (the final one was the usual "child") so this one has to remain un-decoded. Aloha from Hawaii, Rod.