GGood Chinese Name

Chinese surname · rank 42

杜

杜 is read as dù.

Pinyin

dù

Script forms

Simplified and traditional 杜

Basic meaning

birchleaf pear; stop or prevent; old state name

Five element

Wood

Origin

Time: Western Zhou to Spring and Autumn period; Western Zhou to Spring and Autumn tradition, 1046-476 BCE

Place: Old Du state, commonly associated with today's Xi'an area, Shaanxi Province

Origin note

A major Du surname tradition connects Du with the old Du state and the Tang-Du lineage. Narrow character/history sources place ancient Du in the southeast Xi'an area of Shaanxi, while Du Bo is attested separately in Mozi and Guoyu traditions. The character's everyday plant and stop/block meanings should be kept separate from the state-name origin.

Historical figures

杜甫 (Du Fu)

712-770 CE · Tang poet

One of the greatest Chinese poets, often called the Poet Sage in later literary tradition.

杜牧 (Du Mu)

803-852 CE · Tang poet

A major late Tang poet remembered for refined lyricism and historical imagination.

Sources checked