常
Cháng
chang is a Chinese surname. If unsure, use 常 (Cháng). Wiktionary also lists 張 / 张 (Zhāng) and 章 (Zhāng).
Meaning: surname (name)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 常 | Cháng |
| 張 / 张 | Zhāng |
| 章 | Zhāng |
Which one should you use?
While the English transcription 'chang' can refer to multiple surnames, the characters themselves have distinct pronunciations. The surname 常 is pronounced with a rising tone (second tone), whereas the surname 張 / 张 is pronounced with a high level tone (first tone).
How do you pronounce it?
Cháng
Did you know?
- While it is a common surname, the character 章 originally depicted a chisel piercing jade, a process used to decorate the stone.
- While they sound similar in English, the surnames 張, 章 and 常 are entirely different families with no linguistic relation to one another.
Examples in context
- 我姓常。Wǒ xìng Cháng.My surname is Chang.
- 常先生在吗？Cháng xiānsheng zài ma?Is Mr. Chang in?
- 那位常老师很专业。Nà wèi Cháng lǎoshī hěn zhuānyè.That teacher Chang is very professional.
Example conversation
At a business meeting in an office.
- 伟 Wei请问，常经理在办公室吗？Qǐngwèn, Cháng jīnglǐ zài bàngōngshì ma?Excuse me, is Manager Chang in his office?
- 梓涵 Zihan他在开会，请稍等。Tā zài kāihuì, qǐng shāoděng.He is in a meeting, please wait a moment.
- 伟 Wei好的，我等他一下。Hǎo de, wǒ děng tā yīxià.Okay, I will wait for him for a bit.
- 梓涵 Zihan没问题，请坐。Méi wèntí, qǐng zuò.No problem, please have a seat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chang” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 常, 張, 章, CC BY-SA 4.0.
