叶
yè
ye is the Chinese family name 叶 (yè).
It is also found in the idiom '叶公辄恐' (Lord Ye's fear), referring to someone who only pretends to love something but is actually terrified of the real thing.
What does it mean word for word?
The character 叶 literally means 'leaf'.
How do you pronounce it?
yè
Did you know?
- The surname 叶 is often transcribed as 'Ip' in Cantonese, which is why the legendary martial arts grandmaster Ip Man is called 叶问 in Mandarin.
- In Chinese culture, the 'leaf' meaning of 叶 is used in the poetic phrase 落叶归根, which describes the desire for a person to return to their ancestral home before they die.
- In some historical contexts, the surname 叶 was linked to the ancient state of Ye, making it a name associated with early Chinese nobility and governance.
Examples in context
- 我姓叶。Wǒ xìng Yè.My surname is Ye.
- 叶先生在做什么？Yè xiānsheng zài zuò shénme?What is Mr. Ye doing?
Example conversation
Two people are meeting at a business networking event.
- 雨婷 Yuting请问您贵姓？Qǐngwèn nín guìxìng?May I ask your surname?
- 伟 Wei我姓叶，叫伟。Wǒ xìng Yè, jiào Wěi.My surname is Ye, and my name is Wei.
- 雨婷 Yuting很高兴认识叶先生。Hěn gāoxìng rènshi Yè xiānsheng.It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ye.
- 伟 Wei我也很高兴。Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng.Nice to meet you too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
