Chinese names & address

Chinese names put family name first and given name second — 王小明 is surname 王 (Wáng) plus given name 小明 (Xiǎomíng), the reverse of Western order. Most surnames are a single syllable, though a handful of two-syllable 'compound' surnames exist (欧阳, 司马); given names are usually one or two characters chosen for their meaning rather than picked from a fixed list.

Nicknames are commonly formed by doubling a character (明明) or prefixing 小 ('little') for someone younger or junior (小明), and 老 ('old') for a peer or slightly older acquaintance (老王) — the latter is familiar and respectful at once, not a comment on actual age. Using someone's bare given name alone, without the surname, is normally reserved for close friends and family; doing so with a new acquaintance can feel presumptuous.

The safest default with anyone new is Surname + Title (老师/经理/总/先生/女士) until they invite something more casual — often by introducing themselves with 可以叫我... ('you can call me...'). 请问您贵姓? ('may I ask your honorable surname?') is the standard polite script for asking someone's name. If you'll be doing business, studying, or socializing regularly in China, it's genuinely useful to have a Chinese name ready for cards, WeChat, and forms rather than improvising one on the spot.