GGood Chinese Name

Chinese surname · rank 92

武

武 is read as wǔ.

Pinyin

wǔ

Script forms

Simplified and traditional 武

Basic meaning

martial; military; brave

Five element

Water

Origin

Time: Zhou posthumous-title and ancestor-name traditions; Zhou posthumous-title tradition, 1046-256 BCE

Place: Multiple Zhou-state lineages across the central plains

Origin note

Wu surname traditions often connect the name with ancestors or rulers bearing Wu as a posthumous title, such as martial or military-associated names. The page presents Wu as a posthumous-title/ancestor-name surname and keeps the martial meaning separate.

Historical figures

武则天 (Wu Zetian)

624-705 CE · emperor

The only woman in Chinese history to rule as emperor in her own name.

武训 (Wu Xun)

1838-1896 CE · education philanthropist

A Qing figure remembered for supporting education.

Sources checked