Chinese surname · rank 404

阴

阴 is read as yīn.

Pinyin

yīn

Script forms

Simplified 阴 · Traditional 陰

Basic meaning

'female' principle; dark; secret

Five element

Earth

Origin

Time: Xia-dynasty tradition, c. 2070-1600 BCE

Place: Ancient Yin state tradition around southeast Huozhou, Shanxi; Yin locality / Xiayin around modern Laohekou and Gucheng, Hubei; Zhou Yin locality around northeast Lushi, Henan; later Nanyang prestige geography

Origin note

Yin/阴 is a layered surname, not just the character meaning of shade or the yin principle. One account links the name to an ancient Yin state or Yin locality. Another stronger surname-book layer traces it to Guan Xiu, a descendant in the Guan Zhong line, who served as a Yin official or was connected with Yin locality in Chu; his descendants then used Yin as a surname. The page keeps the ancient-state, fief/office, and ordinary character-meaning layers separate.

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

23mofang surname library: Yin/阴 - ancient Yin state / Yinkang layer and Guan Xiu / Yin locality layer
Wikipedia: Yin/阴 surname - Yuanhe Xingzuan Guan Xiu account, Yin state account, and distribution context
Baijiayoupu: Yin/阴 surname encyclopedia - Guan Xiu / Yuanhe Xingzuan source layer and Nanyang prestige geography
Han Dian: Yin/阴 - yin-side, dark, shade, and surname meanings only
Ctext: Baijiaxing - received Baijiaxing sequence line containing 池喬陰鬱

阴 🔊

Origin note

Historical figures

Historical figures to enrich

Sources checked

阴