The Meaning of sei [姓] In Japanese

姓
せい
Romaji: sei N4

What does 姓 mean?

Translation and Meaning

surname, family name, clan name

Definition

What does 姓 mean? It denotes a person’s family name or surname, the inherited name used to identify a person’s lineage within a family. In contemporary Japanese usage, it appears primarily in formal or official contexts or when referring to someone’s lineage; in everyday life, many speakers use 苗字 for the surname instead.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Lineage indicator: a marker of a family line that identifies a person as part of a clan or lineage
  • Official and formal contexts: commonly found in legal forms, genealogical records, and formal writing
  • Full-name concept: when paired with 名 to form 姓名, it denotes the surname together with the given name

Etymology

On’yomi sei — borrowed from Chinese 姓 (xing4). The kanji is composed of 女 left and 生 right, a traditional formation associated with lineage; phonetic adaptation in Japanese yields the reading sei and there is no native kun-reading.

Origin

Meiji period modernization: Japan mandated the adoption of family names for all citizens, leading to the widespread use of 姓 as the surname term in official registries and everyday life; before that, many people used personal names or clan-related names (苗字) and the usage of 姓 varied by region.

Composition

  • 女 left radical; commonly interpreted as indicating kinship or family linkage
  • 生 right component; conveys life or birth; together with the left part, the term expresses belonging to a lineage

Usage

Used in formal discourse, legal documents, and genealogical contexts; in everyday conversation, people typically use 苗字 for the surname; polite references to a person’s surname employ the phrase go-sei in written and spoken Japanese; when referring to a full name, 姓 is paired with 名 to form 姓名 in formal writing.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a woman (女) passing on life (生) to the next generation—a surname is the inherited family line you receive at birth. Think of sei as the formal marker of clan identity in official contexts.

Variations

  • 苗字 (myouji) — everyday term for surname
  • 氏 (shi) — formal or third-person reference to a surname in documents and speeches
  • ご姓 (go-sei) — polite form for asking someone’s surname; romanization go-sei

Words with the same Romaji

Example Phrases

  • 受付で姓名を確認します。
    Uketsuke de seimei o kakunin shimasu.
    We will confirm your full name at the reception.
    Lista:
    • 受付 (uketsuke) – reception
    • で (de) – at
    • 姓名 (seimei) – full name
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 確認します (kakunin shimasu) – will confirm
    In this sentence, 「姓名」 is the direct object of 確認; で marks the location of the action (the reception).
  • 結婚後、姓をどうするか妻と話した。
    Kekkon go, sei wo dou suru ka tsuma to hanashita.
    After marriage, I talked with my wife about what to do with my surname.
    Lista:
    • 結婚後 (kekkon go) – after marriage
    • 姓を (sei wo) – surname (object marker)
    • どうするか (dou suru ka) – what to do
    • 妻と (tsuma to) – with wife
    • 話した (hanashita) – talked
    In this sentence, 「姓」 means family name; it is the object of the verb phrase どうするか.
姓