Chinese surname · rank 412

子

子 is read as zǐ.

Pinyin

zǐ

Script forms

Simplified and traditional 子

Basic meaning

offspring, child; fruit, seed of; first earthly branch

Five element

Wood

Origin

Time: Shang tradition, c. 1600-1046 BCE

Place: Shang / Shangqiu origin tradition connected with Xie and Shang people; later Song state and Zi-surname branch contexts across Central Plains historical geography

Origin note

Zi/子 is an ancient clan surname layer, not just the ordinary word for child. The source-backed account connects Zi with Xie and the Shang-origin tradition: Shun is said to have granted Zi at Shang, and Shang/Song descendants later branched into many surnames. This page treats Zi as a high-level ancient xing lineage and avoids presenting it as a simple one-place or one-founder modern surname.

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

Wikipedia: Zi/子 ancient clan surname - Xie / Shang-origin tradition, ancient Zi xing status, and derived surname branches
Han Dian: Zi/子 - child, offspring, seed, and surname meanings only
Ctext: Baijiaxing - checked sequence used to avoid making an unsupported standalone Zi Baijiaxing line claim

子 🔊

Origin note

Historical figures

Historical figures to enrich

Sources checked

子