Chinese surname · rank 152

麦

麦 is read as mài.

Pinyin

mài

Script forms

Simplified 麦 · Traditional 麥

Basic meaning

wheat; grain crops such as wheat, barley, and oats

Five element

Metal

Origin

Time: Spring and Autumn period tradition; later recorded in surname books such as Yuanhe Xingzuan.; Spring and Autumn tradition, 770-476 BCE

Place: Maiqiu, an old Qi place; modern local-history sources identify Shanghe County, Jinan, Shandong as ancient Qi Maiqiu settlement.

Origin note

Qi Huan Gong reached Maiqiu and met an elderly local resident. The elder gave three birthday admonitions, including valuing people over gold and jade. The ruler honored him and granted Maiqiu; surname tradition says his descendants used the place-name as their surname, later shortened from Maiqiu to Mai.

Historical figures

Historical figures to enrich

This surname page is ready for a fame-ranked figure list. Later passes can add generals, poets, rulers, artists, scholars and modern public figures with source links.

Sources checked

Han Dian: Mai - basic grain meaning, pronunciation, surname listing, and Shuowen element note
National Cultural Memory Bank: Mai surname entry - surname origin citing Xinzhu City Gazetteer and Yuanhe Xingzuan for descendants of the Maiqiu elder
Wikisource: Xin Xu, Zashi, juan 4 - classical narrative of Qi Huan Gong, the Maiqiu resident, and the grant of Maiqiu
Chinese Confucius site: Jinan Shanghe - local-history placement of Shanghe as ancient Qi Maiqiu settlement

麦 🔊

Origin note

Historical figures

Historical figures to enrich

Sources checked

麦