孙悟空
sūn wù kōng
The phrase 'monkey king' in Chinese is 孙悟空 (sūn wù kōng).
孙悟空 is the proper name for the legendary monkey protagonist of the Chinese novel Journey to the West. In many contexts, he is also referred to by his title 美猴王, which translates to 'Handsome Monkey King'.
What does it mean word for word?
The name consists of the surname 孙 (Sūn) and the given name 悟空 (Wùkōng), which means 'awakened to emptiness'.
How do you pronounce it?
sūn wù kōng
When do people say it?
In Chinese culture, 孙悟空 refers specifically to the mythological figure from the classic novel Journey to the West.
Did you know?
- The surname 孙 in 孙悟空 is a pun on the Chinese word for 'monkey' 狲, which sounds nearly identical.
- In Chinese pop culture, 孙悟空 is so iconic that people use his name as a shorthand for someone who is rebellious, mischievous and impossibly clever.
- Many Chinese households keep images or statues of 孙悟空 not just for decoration, but because he is seen as a protector against evil spirits and bad luck.
Examples in context
- 他的名字是孙悟空。His name is the Monkey King.
- 我们一起看猴哥的故事！Let's watch the story of the Monkey King together!
- 他在西游记里是主角，叫孙悟空。Tā zài Xīyóujì lǐ shì zhǔjiǎo, jiào Sūn Wùkōng.He is the protagonist in Journey to the West, called Sun Wukong.
- 很多小孩都喜欢孙悟空。Hěnduō xiǎohái dōu xǐhuān Sūn Wùkōng.Many children like Sun Wukong.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they saw.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你觉得那个电影怎么样？Nǐ juédé nàge diànyǐng zěnmeyàng?What did you think of that movie?
- 俊杰 Junjie我觉得孙悟空这个角色很酷。Wǒ juédé Sūn Wùkōng zhège juésè hěn kù.I think the character Sun Wukong is very cool.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我也这么觉得，他太强大了。Wǒ yě zhème juédé, tā tài qiángdà le.I think so too, he is too powerful.
- 俊杰 Junjie没错，他的动作戏很精彩。Méicuò, tā de dòngzuòxì hěn jīngcǎi.Exactly, his action scenes are wonderful.
