徐
Xú
徐 (Xú) is the Chinese way to say the family name Xu.
徐 is a Chinese surname. In certain informal contexts, it can also function as a descriptor meaning 'virtual', as seen in the phrase xúpéngyǒu (virtual friend).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is Xú.
Did you know?
- In the context of virtual friends, the term xúpéngyǒu actually uses the character 虚 rather than the surname 徐. Because they are homophones, learners often mistake the family name for the word meaning 'empty' or 'void'.
- Many people with the surname 徐 can trace their ancestral roots back to the state of Xu, a small but influential polity during the Zhou dynasty.
- The phonetic part of the character 徐 was originally pronounced as 'la' in Old Chinese, showing how drastically the sound of the name has evolved over millennia.
Examples in context
- 我姓徐。Wǒ xìng Xú.My surname is Xu.
- 徐先生在做什么？Xú xiānsheng zài zuò shénme?What is Mr. Xu doing?
- 她是徐老师的学生。Tā shì Xú lǎoshī de xuésheng.She is Teacher Xu's student.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new team member at the office.
- 雨婷 Yuting那位新同事姓徐吗？Nà wèi xīn tóngshì xìng Xú ma?Is that new colleague's surname Xu?
- 伟 Wei是的，他叫徐伟。Shì de, tā jiào Xú Wěi.Yes, his name is Xu Wei.
- 雨婷 Yuting徐先生看起来很专业。Xú xiānsheng kàn qǐlái hěn zhuānyè.Mr. Xu looks very professional.
- 伟 Wei我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 徐, CC BY-SA 4.0.
