GGood Chinese Name

Chinese surname · rank 5

陈

陈 is read as chén.

Pinyin

chén

Script forms

Simplified 陈 · Traditional 陳

Basic meaning

arrange; display; old Chen state

Five element

Earth

Origin

Time: Early Western Zhou, around the 11th century BCE tradition

Place: State of Chen, centered around today's Huaiyang, Henan Province

Origin note

The central Chen origin is an ancient state-name tradition. Zhou tradition says Gui Man, a descendant of Shun, was enfeoffed in Chen in the area of today's Huaiyang, Henan. After Chen became the state name and lineage marker, descendants used Chen as a surname.

Historical figures

陈胜 (Chen Sheng)

died 208 BCE · leader of the Dazexiang uprising

A leader of the first major uprising against Qin rule, remembered for the early anti-Qin rebellion with Wu Guang.

陈寔 (Chen Shi)

104-187 CE · Eastern Han scholar-official

A respected Eastern Han figure associated with the Yingchuan Chen lineage and later family reputation.

Sources checked