Meaning
The kanji 姓 means surname or family name — the name passed down through generations that marks a person's family and lineage. In Japan, surnames carry weight beyond simple identification: they stand for the family as a whole, not just the individual bearing them. When writing a full name in Japanese, the surname (姓) comes before the given name, placing family identity ahead of personal identity.
The character breaks into two parts: the radical 女 (woman, female) on the left, and 生 (life, birth) on the right. The pairing is historically telling. Ancient Chinese society traced lineage through the mother — long before paternal surnames became standard — so the character literally encodes "birth through a woman" or "lineage of life." As inheritance shifted to the father's line, the written form stayed the same while its meaning broadened to cover family names generally.
Today, 姓 (sei) is the formal term in Japanese — the one that appears on government documents, legal papers, and official forms. Everyday speech favors 名字・苗字 (みょうじ, myōji) instead. The character has 8 strokes and is taught in Grade 4 (around age 9–10). At JLPT N2, it's one you'll encounter whenever Japanese official names come up.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
姓 has two on'yomi readings: セイ (sei) and ショウ (shō). セイ dominates — it covers nearly all formal compounds and official contexts. ショウ appears in just one compound, though it's a common and historically rich word.
セイ (sei) — used in formal, official, and written contexts:
- 姓名 (seimei) — full name; surname and given name together, as written on official documents
- 旧姓 (kyūsei) — maiden name; the surname a person used before marriage
- 改姓 (kaisei) — change of surname; the legal act of adopting a new family name
ショウ (shō) — appears in one historically significant compound:
- 百姓 (hyakushō) — farmer; peasant; literally "person among a hundred surnames," meaning common people outside the aristocracy who held family names rather than noble titles
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi かばね (kabane) is archaic — a term for hereditary clan titles granted by the imperial court during the Yamato period. These titles marked a noble clan's rank and social standing. Modern speakers rarely encounter this reading outside history books or academic texts.
- 姓 (kabane) — ancient hereditary clan title granted by the imperial court (archaic, historical usage only)
Common Words & Compounds
姓 shows up across formal, legal, and social vocabulary. Here are the key compounds grouped by use.
Names and official identity:
- 姓名 (seimei) — full name (family name + given name); the standard term on official forms and documents
- 姓氏 (seishi) — surname; family name (a formal or literary term for one's clan name)
- 貴姓 (kisei) — your honorable surname; a very polite expression used when asking someone's family name in formal situations
- 同姓同名 (dōsei dōmei) — sharing the exact same surname and given name as another person
Marriage and legal name changes:
- 旧姓 (kyūsei) — maiden name; the surname a person held before marriage
- 改姓 (kaisei) — change of surname; the formal legal process of adopting a new family name
- 夫婦別姓 (fūfu bessei) — married couple keeping separate surnames; an ongoing social debate in Japan over whether spouses should be legally required to share one surname
Social comparison and historical:
- 同姓 (dōsei) — same surname; two or more people sharing the same family name
- 異姓 (isei) — different surname; having a different family name from the person being compared
- 百姓 (hyakushō) — farmer; peasant; historically "common people of a hundred surnames," as opposed to titled nobility
Example Sentences
お姓はなんとおっしゃいますか。
O-sei wa nan to osshaimasu ka.
What is your surname? (very polite form)
申請書には姓名を正確に記入してください。
Shinseisho ni wa seimei wo seikaku ni kinyū shite kudasai.
Please fill in your full name accurately on the application form.
彼女は結婚後も旧姓を使い続けています。
Kanojo wa kekkongo mo kyūsei wo tsukai tsuzukete imasu.
She kept using her maiden name after getting married.
日本では姓が名前の前に来ます。
Nihon de wa sei ga namae no mae ni kimasu.
In Japan, the surname comes before the given name.
同姓同名の人がクラスに二人いて、先生もよく間違えていました。
Dōsei dōmei no hito ga kurasu ni futari ite, sensei mo yoku machigaete imashita.
There were two people with the exact same name in the class, and even the teacher kept mixing them up.
夫婦別姓の問題は日本社会で今も議論されています。
Fūfu bessei no mondai wa Nihon shakai de ima mo giron sarete imasu.
The debate over whether married couples can keep separate surnames continues in Japanese society.
昔、百姓たちは夜明けから日暮れまで田んぼで働いていました。
Mukashi, hyakushō-tachi wa yoake kara higure made tanbo de hataraite imashita.
Long ago, farmers worked the rice fields from dawn to dusk.
改姓の手続きには時間と書類が必要です。
Kaisei no tetsuzuki ni wa jikan to shorui ga hitsuyō desu.
Changing your surname involves time and a fair amount of paperwork.
田中という姓は日本で最も多い苗字のひとつです。
Tanaka to iu sei wa Nihon de mottomo ōi myōji no hitotsu desu.
Tanaka is one of the most common surnames in Japan.
Memory Tip
To remember 姓 (sei, surname), picture a woman (女) giving life (生) to a family name. That's not just a mnemonic — it's history: ancient family names passed through the mother, making a woman's act of giving birth the moment a new surname-bearer entered the world. Picture a mother handing a name tag to her newborn, passing on the family legacy. On the left, 女 — the woman radical, its curved strokes familiar from dozens of other kanji. On the right, 生 — a plant breaking through earth, meaning birth and growth. Read together: "A woman giving birth to a lineage." Next time you write 姓, trace 女 first and remember she's the one carrying the name forward.