Over the past couple of years, the popularity and profitability of online shopping websites in China has grown exponentially. As the number of internet users as well as their buying power continue to increase, this industry is likely to receive added attention from both foreign and domestic brands. In this article we will look at the Chinese names of four online shopping companies. The first two sites are owned by foreign companies, and the second two are Chinese brands. Read on and you will see, Chinese names matter on the web too.
| Chinese names | Character analysis |
| 卓-zhuō | “卓” used as an adjective means outstanding, extraordinary, and eminent. The character consists of “匕”which meant “人”( rén) , meaning people in ancient times . 卓is frequently used in phases like “卓绝” (zhuó jué), meaning unsurpassed, distinguished, as well as “卓尔不群” (zhuó ěr bù qún), meaning unmatched, or to stand alone above others. |
| 越- yuè | “越” means to surpass. It is comprised of two parts: “走” (zǒu) and “戉” (yuè). Its original meaning is to exceed, to overstep others. When used as an adverb, it means “more and more”, such as “越多越好”（yuè duō yuè hǎo）, the more the better. It is always used in the phrase “越过”（yuè guò）- to go over or to surmount. |
Overall, the name “卓越” (zhuó yuè) means to be outstanding and prominent. The Chinese name communicates that they are better than their competitors, contributing to brand differentiation. Besides that, “卓越” has almost the same sound with its English name “Joyo”, which presents a consistent verbal identity to enhance brand recognition. Joyo has already become a very large online company in China1 and their convincing name has likely contributed to their success.
| Chinese names | Character analysis |
| 易- yì | “易” as an adjective means easy, convenient, and friendly. When used as a verb, it means to exchange or to buy, and has the same meaning as “买”（mǎi）, or to buy. It is often used in phrases like “易如反掌”（yì rú fǎn zhǎng; it’s a piece of cake, as easy as turning off one’s hands）. As Ebay is a platform for shopping and online exchange, “易” perfectly conveys this meaning. 易(yì) also has a similar pronunciation to the letter “E” in the English name, so it connects the international and Chinese verbal identities . |
| 趣-qù | “趣” refers to pleasure, interest and delight. It is usually used in phrases such as “趣事” (qù shì), meaning something funny or interesting, and “趣谈” (qù tán), an amusing remark. By using this character Ebay communicates that they will provide customers with an enjoyable brand experience while shopping. |
The name “易趣” conveys that customers can make online purchases easily, conveniently, and in a pleasurable way on Ebay. This Chinese name strongly communicates brand attributes and can help build Ebay’s brand in the minds of consumers.
| Chinese names | Character analysis |
| 淘-táo | “淘”originally means to wash in a pan or basket to wash away useless parts and leave behind the valuable parts. It is often used in phrases such as, “淘金”( táo jīn), panning or looking for gold, “淘汰”(táo tài),to wash，or to eliminate through selection . |
| 宝-bǎo | “宝” means treasure and precious things. It is made up of two parts: “宀” and “玉” (yù; jade) which represents great value. “宝” can also be used as a noun, such as “宝宝”( bǎo bǎo), meaning baby or darling. Usually it is used as an adjective, such as “宝贝”(bǎo bèi), valuable treasure, “宝藏”(bǎo zàng), as in buried treasure or precious deposits. |
The full name is actually “淘宝网”, or Táobǎowǎng. “网” ( wǎng) means “net” and is the noun used for website. However, the online shopping site is always simply referred to as “Táobǎo” (淘宝), which means to search for treasure.
The name indicates that all products bought on Taobao are of great value. It evokes excitement and enjoyment surrounding online shopping, and conveys a sense of adventure. With 120 million registered users , Taobao is hugely popular in China, especially among young people. Their attractive name is often heard in everyday conversation.
| Chinese names | Character analysis |
| 当-dāng | “当” originally means appropriate or to be equal to. It is often used in phrases like “恰当” (qià dàng), meaning suitable, apt, appropriate, or proper. When “当当” is spoken, it actually has the same meaning and a similar sound to “叮当” (dīng dāng), which is a tinkling, a jingle, or “ding-dong” sound. Apart from that, “当” is used in the phrase “一锤定音”(yī chuí dìng yīn), referring to when a gong is hit to signal the end of an auction in China. |
Similar to Táobǎo (淘宝), the full name is Dangdangwang (当当网), where “网” means “net” or website. The name “当当” has no concrete meaning, yet its sound could give customers a joyful mood and encourage them to buy more. The name represents that two sides have agreed to make a deal on something, in this case a purchase. The easily-pronounced, phonetically-harmonious name should be appealing to a variety of target audiences.
Common features of online shopping brand’s Chinese names include references to happiness, enjoyment, excitement, and sometimes to purchasing or exchange. However, the names also have their differences.; Joyo focuses on being outstanding, Ebay emphasizes easiness and convenience, and Taobao implies the valuable treasures that can be found on their site. Dang Dang uses a naming strategy dissimilar to the other three—rather than using their name to convey meaning, they want to make it light and memorable.
Although it is becoming a crowded marketplace, and fast, there are still opportunities for online shopping sites to develop in China. Surely, a key component to any company’s success, whether they conduct business online or in traditional settings, will be an attractive, meaningful, and memorable Chinese name.
1 http://www.amazon.cn/channel/book
2 Barboza, D. (2009, August 9). An Online Market Flourishes in China. New York Times.
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