Wu (surname)
Encyclopedia
Wu is the Pinyin
transliteration of the Chinese surname
吳 (Traditional Chinese), 吴 (Simplified Chinese), which is the tenth most common surname in Mainland China
. Several other, less common Chinese surnames with different pronunciations are also transliterated into English as "Wu": 武, 伍, 仵, 烏, 鄔 and 巫. The Cantonese and Hakka transliteration of 吳 is Ng
, a syllable made entirely of a nasal consonant
while the Min Nan
transliteration of 吳 is Goh or Ngoh, depending on the regional variations in Min Nan pronunciation. In Vietnamese
, many of those are read differently, for example Võ
or Vũ
for 武, Ngô
for 吳, Ô for 烏.
Wu (or Woo or Wou) is also the Cantonese transliteration of the different Chinese surname 胡 (see Hu
), used in Hong Kong, and by overseas Chinese of Cantonese speaking areas of Guangdong, or Hong Kong origin.
吳 is also one of the most common surnames in Korea. It is spelled 오 in Hangul
and romanized O by the three major romanization systems, but more commonly spelled Oh in South Korea. It is also related far back in Chinese history with the name "Zhou".
"Wu" (吴) can be translated into English as "god-like" or "the highest." As shown by some translations from ancient texts.
The few famous people with the family name of "Wu" in China were emperors or warriors. However, there are many well-known doctors and politicians with this surname.
), Chinese actress
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
transliteration of the Chinese surname
Chinese surname
Chinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
吳 (Traditional Chinese), 吴 (Simplified Chinese), which is the tenth most common surname in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Several other, less common Chinese surnames with different pronunciations are also transliterated into English as "Wu": 武, 伍, 仵, 烏, 鄔 and 巫. The Cantonese and Hakka transliteration of 吳 is Ng
Ng
Ng is a Cantonese and Hakka transliteration of the Chinese surnames 吳/吴 and 伍 , and Hokkien and Teochew transliteration of the Chinese surname 黃 . It is pronounced , and 伍 means "five." It is sometimes romanized as Ang, Eng, Ing and Ong in the United States and Ung in Australia...
, a syllable made entirely of a nasal consonant
Nasal consonant
A nasal consonant is a type of consonant produced with a lowered velum in the mouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. Examples of nasal consonants in English are and , in words such as nose and mouth.- Definition :...
while the Min Nan
Min Nan
The Southern Min languages, or Min Nan , are a family of Chinese languages spoken in southern Fujian, eastern Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and southern Zhejiang provinces of China, and by descendants of emigrants from these areas in diaspora....
transliteration of 吳 is Goh or Ngoh, depending on the regional variations in Min Nan pronunciation. In Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
, many of those are read differently, for example Võ
Võ
Vũ or Võ is a common Vietnamese surname.-Academia:*Võ Đình Tuấn - Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Chemistry, and Director of the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics of Duke University. Vo-Dinh has been ranked No...
or Vũ
VU
- Country codes :* VU is the country code of Vanuatu* .vu is Vanuatu's country code top-level domain- Companies :* Air Ivoire, IATA airline designator* Vivendi Universal, now Vivendi SA, a French company active in media and communications- Music :...
for 武, Ngô
Ngô (surname)
Ngô is a Vietnamese surname. The surname is known as Wu in Chinese , and Oh in Korean.-Notable people with the surname Ngô:*Phuong Ngo, Businessman, politician*Ngo Dinh Diem, President of South Vietnam and his ruling family...
for 吳, Ô for 烏.
Wu (or Woo or Wou) is also the Cantonese transliteration of the different Chinese surname 胡 (see Hu
Hu (surname)
Hu 胡 is a Chinese surname or family name. In 2006, it was the 15th most common surname in China.Some other less-common surnames pronounced Hu include 瓠, 護, 戶, 扈, 虎, 呼, 忽, and 斛.-Words:...
), used in Hong Kong, and by overseas Chinese of Cantonese speaking areas of Guangdong, or Hong Kong origin.
吳 is also one of the most common surnames in Korea. It is spelled 오 in Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
and romanized O by the three major romanization systems, but more commonly spelled Oh in South Korea. It is also related far back in Chinese history with the name "Zhou".
"Wu" (吴) can be translated into English as "god-like" or "the highest." As shown by some translations from ancient texts.
The few famous people with the family name of "Wu" in China were emperors or warriors. However, there are many well-known doctors and politicians with this surname.
People named Wu
(in alphabetical order according to their names as spelled in Pinyin, or if unavailable, in English)Wū ( or )
- Wu Junmei (Vivian WuVivian Wu
Vivian Wu , is a Chinese actress, known for her roles in The Last Emperor , Heaven & Earth , The Joy Luck Club , and The Pillow Book and as the historical figure of Soong May-ling, commonly referred to as Madam Chiang Kai-shek, in two major Chinese motion pictures The Soong Sisters and The...
), Chinese actress
Wú ( or )
- 吳家俊 - Ngo, Jonathan, Canadian author
- 吳宇森 (吴宇森) - Woo, JohnJohn WooJohn Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
, film director - 吳光正 (吴光正) - Woo Kwong Ching, PeterPeter WooPeter Woo Kwong Ching GBS, JP MBA is Chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited and The Wharf Holdings Limited.-Education and career:...
, Hong Kong entrepreneur, billionaire and politician - 吳辰君 (吴辰君) - Annie Wu 吳辰君Annie Wu (actress)Annie Wu is a Taiwanese actress and model.She has mainly acted in mainland Chinese TV series, and was featured in Jackie Chan's Police Story 4: First Strike. Though not fluent in Cantonese, she has also been featured in several Hong Kong films and magazine spreads...
, Taiwanese Actress - 吳百福 (吴百福) - Wu Baifu (Ando, MomofukuMomofuku Ando, ORS, was a Taiwanese-Japanese businessman who founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. He is famed as the inventor of instant noodles and cup noodles.- Early life :...
) (1910–2007), Taiwanese-born Japanese inventor of instant noodlesInstant noodlesInstant noodles are dried or precooked noodles and are often sold with packets of flavoring including seasoning oil. Dried noodles are usually eaten after being cooked or soaked in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, while precooked noodles can be reheated or eaten straight from the packet... - 吳邦國 (吴邦国) - Wu BangguoWu BangguoWu Bangguo is a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China. He is currently Chairman and Party secretary of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, a position that makes him China's chief legislator...
, Chairman of the Standing CommitteePolitburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaThe Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Communist Party of China, whose membership varies between 5 and 9 people. The inner workings of the PSC are not well known, although it is believed that decisions of the PSC are...
of the National People's CongressNational People's CongressThe National People's Congress , abbreviated NPC , is the highest state body and the only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China; with 2,987 members, it is the...
of the PRC - 吳尊 - Wu ChunWu ChunWu Chun was born on 10 October 1979, birth name Goh Kiat Chun, is a Brunei-born Taiwanese actor, singer, former model and gym instructor....
, BruneiBruneiBrunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
-born actor and singer in Taiwanese band FahrenheitFahrenheit (Taiwanese band)Fahrenheit is a Taiwanese boy band who has been active in Asia since 2005. The group debut with four members: Jiro Wang, Calvin Chen, Aaron Yan and Wu Chun. They are managed by Comic International Productions . The group's music is distributed by HIM International Music in Taiwan, by WOW Music in... - 吳健雄 (吴健雄) - Wu Chien-Shiung, Chinese scientist
- 吳彥祖 (吴彦祖) - Wu, DanielDaniel WuDaniel Yin-Cho Wu is a Hong Kong actor, director and producer. Since his film debut in 1998, he has been featured in over 40 films. Wu has been called "the young Andy Lau," and is known as a "flexible and distinctive" leading actor in the Chinese-language film industry.-Early life:Wu was born in...
, American actor - 吳凱文 (吴凯文) - Wu, Kevin, American internet personality
- 吳振偉 (吴振伟) - Wu, DavidDavid WuDavid Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
, congressman from the 1st district of OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... - 吳憲 (吴宪) - Wu, HsienHsien WuHsien Wu was an early protein scientist who was the first to propose that protein denaturation was a purely conformational change, i.e., corresponded to protein unfolding and not to some chemical alteration of the protein...
(1893-1959), an early protein scientist - Jason WuJason WuJason Wu is a Manhattan-based Taiwanese American fashion designer.-Biography:Born in Taiwan, Wu moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at age nine and attended Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts and Loomis Chaffee, in Windsor ,Connecticut. He learned how to sew by designing and...
, American fashion designer - 吳鑑泉 (吴鉴泉) - Wu Jianquan (1870–1942), Taijiquan teacher
- 吳嘉文 (吴嘉文) - Wu Jiawen, table tennis captain from Australia
- 吳景滔 (吴景滔) - Wu Jingtao, Ian, Chinese child actor from Hong Kong, Won Best Supporting Actor at the Taipei Golden Horse Awards in 2006
- 吴立红 - Wu LihongWu LihongWu Lihong is an environmental activist of the People's Republic of China. In August 2007, Wu was sentenced to prison by a local court in retribution for a 10 year crusade against pollution in Lake Tai...
, environmental activist - 吳蠻 (吴蛮) - Wu ManWu ManWu Man is a Chinese pipa virtuoso and composer. Described as "the artist most responsible for bring the pipa to the Western World" by the Los Angeles Times, US-based, Chinese-born musician Wu Man has carved out a career creating and fostering projects that give this ancient Chinese instrument a...
, pipa and ruan player - 吳明瑛 (吴明瑛) - Wu Mingying (Nancy Wu), Chinese actress - Wu Qingrui (Goh Keng SweeGoh Keng SweeGoh Keng Swee was the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1984, and a Member of Parliament for the Kreta Ayer constituency for a quarter of a century. Born in Malacca in the Straits Settlements into a Peranakan family, he came to Singapore at the age of two years...
, 1918–2010), former Deputy Prime MinisterPrime Minister of SingaporeThe Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
- Wu Ruisi (Goh, Theresa Rui SiTheresa GohTheresa Goh Rui Si is a Singaporean Paralympic swimmer. Due to congenital spina bifida, she does not have use of her legs. Nonetheless, she started swimming at the age of five years, and began taking part in competitions at age 12...
), SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an ParalympicParalympic GamesThe Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
swimmer - 吳三桂 (吴三桂) - Wu SanguiWu SanguiWu Sangui was a Ming Chinese general who was instrumental in the succession of rule to the Qing Dynasty in 1644...
(1612-1678), Chinese general who supported the Manchus in their invasion of China after the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644 - 吳天明 (吴天明) - Wu TianmingWu TianmingWu Tianming is a Chinese film director.-Biography:Born in Shaanxi Province, China, Wu Tianming attended the Beijing Film Academy, majoring in directing before the Cultural Revolution...
, Chinese film director - 吳文俊 - Wu WenjunWu WenjunWu Wenjun is a Chinese mathematician and academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences .-Biography:Wu's ancestral hometown is Jiashan, in Jiaxing of Zhejiang. Wu was born in Shanghai, China where he would later graduate from Chiao Tung University in 1940...
, Chinese mathematician - 吳儀 (吴仪) - Wu YiWu YiWu Yi was one of four Vice Premiers of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, overseeing the country's economy until March 2008. Known as the "iron lady", Wu is one of the toughest negotiators in China's government.-Biography:...
, Vice-premier of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... - 呉子良 - Wu Ziliang, the birthname of Emi SuzukiEmi Suzukiis a Japanese fashion model and retired occasional actress. Widely known by her nickname Emichee, she has often been described as a "charismatic model" and is particularly popular among gyaru teenagers.-Early life:...
, Japanese model of Chinese descent - 吳作棟 (吴作栋) - Wu Zuodong (Goh Chok TongGoh Chok TongGoh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
), former Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, current Senior MinisterSenior MinisterSenior Minister is a political office in the political system of Singapore taken by a prime minister or senior cabinet minister when he or she retires from that office, but still has something to offer the government based on his or her long experience...
of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of SingaporeMonetary Authority of SingaporeThe Monetary Authority of Singapore is Singapore's central bank and financial regulatory authority... - 吴世荣Wu Shirong /Goh Say Eng(1875-1945), President of Tongmenhui Penang, financial supporter of Dr Sun Yat-sen
Wǔ
- 伍连德 - Wu Lien-tehWu Lien-tehDr. Wu Lien-teh was a Malayan-born Chinese and the first medical student of Chinese descent to study at University of Cambridge. He was also the first Malaysian Chinese nominated to receive a Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1935...
, Chinese physician and plague fighter - Wu, Melissa, Australian diver
- 伍家球 - Wu, William F.William F. WuWilliam F. Wu is a Chinese-American science fiction author. He published his first story in 1977. Since then, Wu has written thirteen published novels, one scholarly work, and a collection of short stories...
, science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author - 伍子胥 - Wu ZixuWu ZixuWu Yun , better known by his style name Zixu , is the most famous ancestor of people with the surname of Wu . All branches of the Wu clans claim him as their "first ancestor"...
, general in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history
Wǔ
- 武承嗣 - Wu ChengsiWu ChengsiWu Chengsi , formally Prince Xuan of Wei , was a nephew of Chinese sovereign Wu Zetian and an imperial prince during her Zhou Dynasty...
- 武松 - Wu SongWu SongWu Song, nicknamed "Pilgrim", is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 14th of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes. Wu Song also appears in the novel Jin Ping Mei, a spin-off of Water Margin...
, hero from the Chinese classic Outlaws of the Marsh. - 武则天 - Wu ZetianWu ZetianWu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...