姓

Glyph origin
.

Etymology
Specialised form of : “human nature; what is inborn” > “surname; clan name”.

Definitions

 * 1) surname; family name; clan name
 * 2) to have the surname of
 * 3)  to belong to; to be classified as
 * 1) to have the surname of
 * 2)  to belong to; to be classified as
 * 1)  to belong to; to be classified as
 * 1)  to belong to; to be classified as
 * 1)  to belong to; to be classified as

Descendants
Others:

Kanji

 * 1) clan
 * 2) surname

Etymology 1
From.

Ultimate derivation unclear. Some theories derive this as a Japanese compound of +  or. However, the required →  sound shift would be unusual.

Another thought is that this might be a borrowing from, or somehow otherwise related to, 🇨🇬, a Sino-Korean term also spelled, the name for a kind of kinship hierarchy that was prevalent in the kingdom. This latter theory and its related “bone” sense might also account for the homophony with.

Noun

 * 1) a clan
 * 2)  a kind of hereditary title bestowed to clans in ancient Japan
 * 1)  a kind of hereditary title bestowed to clans in ancient Japan

Derived terms

 * : someone's full name, written out with the status of their clan appended
 * , : a specific set of eight kabane titles promulgated by in 675
 * , : a specific set of eight kabane titles promulgated by in 675

Etymology 2
From. The kan'on, so likely a later borrowing. Compare modern 🇨🇬 reading sèⁿ.

Noun

 * 1) surname, family name
 * 2) clan

Idioms

 * : to be adopted by a different clan; to take on a different surname

Etymology 3
→ →

From. The goon, so likely the initial borrowing. Compare modern 🇨🇬 reading siang.

This reading is less common than sei above.

Noun

 * 1)  surname, family name
 * 2)  clan

Etymology 4
A shift from shō above to use the.

This reading is not used in modern Japanese, and is only found in historical texts, such as the  from the late 900s.

Noun

 * 1)  surname, family name
 * 2)  clan

Etymology
From.