Actually, when the Chinese reporters tell any news of Yao there comes first "little giant Yao Ming" blah blah...and they have been calling that from the very first beginning about 7 years ago when he played in CBA. Many years ago, the American fans call MJ Air Jordan, so the Chinese fans translated the nickname and call him "the flying man Jordan", also Dream for Hakeem Olajuwon and the Chinese fans called him "Big Dream Olajuwon", etc. Many NBA players got their nicknames and the Chinese translated them a little differently, but they all resemble in real meaning. Now comes a rising NBA superstar in 2006-2007 season, just like the sun rises in the East, Yao Ming comes from China, the East. The given name of the rising superstar is Ming(明), the Chinese word "Ming" is made of two other words, one is 日(sun), and the other is 月(moon), when the two Chinese words meet, comes a new word Ming(明), and it's premier meaning is "bright". Ming is one the most popular given names in China, like Michael in USA. Also in Chinese history there are 5 major dynasties and they are: Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing. I think i can tell a lot about "Ming"... Then what about his surname/family name? Yao is a common one, many people's family name are "Yao". But let me tell you something that you don't know: Yao, the leader of a tribal alliance of patriarchal clan communes of the late primitive society in China. History sees him as a sagacious leader. He is said to have established a department to chart seasons and formulate a calendar. He also consulted with leaders of other tribes and named Shun as his successor. He observed Shun for three years, let him act as regent at first and then handed over the crown to Shun. So "Yao's Domination" and "Yao's Time" are used to give tribute to times of prosperity and sagacious supreme rulers. There are more than ten tablets with inscriptions about the achievements of Yao and the history of the mausoleum's construction in the temple. There is a full drawing of Yao's mausoleum in a tablet which is fully preserved from its construction in the 18th year of the Jia Jing Period of the Ming Dynasty (1539). Materials in the mausoleum are valuable historical contributions to an understanding of China's architecture. Every time i hear US commentators/fans calling "Yao" loudly and clearly with sonorous voice, i am always surprised that American can pronounce "Yao" in a very correct and clear way, also it sounds resounding and vibrant!! Though Air is for MJ, many of us call him Michael. Yao is really sonorous and resounding, up to now, i can't find any nicknames are better than Yao. i wish one day i can imagine a terrific nickname for Yao Ming, "Mingiant" eg...i promise i will post it asap.
①correction: "little giant Yao Ming" →"junior giant Yao Ming" in 1st line ②the Chinese Word Ming just could not displayed clearly, i dunno y that happens. ③i found i was a "Member" at that very moment and said goodbye to "Rookie" just after i had made the post above, though its cold and silent in the middle of night in Shanghai(1:18am), i am pleased with the warmth. ④Finally it comes to me that i realize: quality is much more important than quantity, thanks to CLUTCH! thanks to all of u, i will keep on moving just like what Yao has been doing, work hard and become a contributing member!
Well that because the pronunciation for Yao is close to other English words (like "wow" and "ow"), and it's an easy word to in English speakers. This is opposed to any Chinese name that starts with an "X", which is very rare in the English language. On the flip side Chinese doesn't feature the "R" sound, which leads to the stereotype of a Chinese person that can't say "Fried Rice".
More corrections should be noted: The "Yao" ( 尧 ) you mentioned in the primitive society of China many centuries BC is not the same as the "Yao" ( 姚 ) in Yao Ming's name if you bother to look at their characters -- they are only identical in pronuciation. Unless my knowledge on Chinese history fails me, I don't see how these two are related. Also you stated that "in Chinese history there are 5 major dynasties and they are: Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing." Unless you meant to say the 5 most recent major dynasties of China, how in the world Chinese history started only from the Tang dynasty? EDIT: My recommendation to Clutch is demote you to rookie again.
you made a mistake in your interpretation.Yao,surname of Yao Ming,is deducted from the place where Shun ,the famous and powerful leader of a tribal alliance in primitive society, was born .This place was called Yao Xu so people living there afterwards took the Yao as their surname. There is nothing related with another tribal leader Yao.Same pronunciation but different characters . Here is archaic totem of surname of Yao Ming ---------Yao.
m_cable, wnes, pluto, wherever you are, thanks for your advice and correction. 2 of u corrected my "misunderstanding" of the real writing of "yao" in Chinese, sure i knew they are different "Yao", then why did i post that stuff? both of u pointed out, the only resemblance of the two Chinese words r their pronunciation. Yeah, you r right, and also both of u know the phrase "Yao's Domination", it came thousands of years ago, then comes another phrase, simple as the archaic one, i take that as a cool coincidence and i think many American fans will take that as funny/interesting detail, we are just chatting about the nickname of Yao Ming, and it was kind of you to point out that the two "Yao" are really different in their Chinese meaning, coz i omitted doing that piece of work, i guess some of American fans may not care about that. What i wanna post is "Yao's Domination", i like the phrase, there are two "Yao's Domination" in the world, neither of them was faked up by myself. i write something seriously after looking up some information, then i post some stuff to make others happy, i tried, and i tried hard. wnes, you told me that your recommendation to Clutch was demote me to rookie again...i take that as a random and folksy joke. i love guys who are working hard, cross their i's and dot their t's, i love them, coz im 1of them. Forum is an entertaining place, we join together from all over the world, especially with one aim——Houston Rockets!! Yeah, i am not abc(abroad born Chinese) or banana man, i am just a native born Chinese, sharing the same hometown as Yao's, my mother tongue was not English, it is very hard for me to translate special stuff sometimes, but i am always working hard, with my best, with consistency...to learn special terms, slangs, proverbs, even vulgar tongue...it will take an American fan few minutes to complete a post, but an hour even more for me, there are thounsands of abroad-ROX-fans standing behind me, i believe many of them even could not post in a way like i did. So let "ME(we abroad fans)" continue on "MY" journey. CLUTCH hold "MY" future in his hands, Contributing Members. It's a valuable future, don't destroy it. Protect it. Embrace it. It's gonna make CLUTCH proud1day, I promise u!! Thanks for those kind fellas' advice/correction again, i am always happy to c that, and making progress under your aid.
Actually, Chinese basketball players always call each other "big -" or "little-", big or little mainly depends on their status. eg, Wang Zhi-zhi was the first Chinese player in the NBA, People call him DA Zhi, or something translate like "big Zhi" or "great ZHI". Nowadays, many people call Yao as Da Yao, which mean "Big Yao" or "Great Yao". Big or little is not a discrimination in China, we like call people like that, it's very kind. So, IMO, we can name Yao as Great Yao or Giant Yao, it's proper.
Love the Chinese posters giving us a deep historical background to this discussion... I remember Worrell once said this phrase after he made a particularly nimble play: "If he were 5'6... if he were 6'6... but he's 7'6, and he's all ours"... there's alot of brokeback action on this team... What does the crowd at TC chant when Yao ignites them?
Yao Ming: Ming is his first name, Yao is the last name. I'd like to give a tip: coz in Chinese, Yao Ming sounds like an other word, which means to take somebody's life. so, how about 'Killer'
I suppose it is meaningless to split a Chinese name "Yao Ming" and explain what Yao means and what Ming means in Chinese. A name is a name, simple and plain, for example, in terms of Tayshaum Prince, do we refer his name to the original meaning of "prince"? In terms of Warren Buffett, do you care what a warren really is? Yao is simply the best, ever.
