Mei (surname)

Chinese calligraphy of the character representing the surname "Méi."

Mei (Chinese: 梅; pinyin: Méi) is a romanized spelling of a Chinese surname, transcribed in the Mandarin dialect. In Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking regions, the name may be transliterated as Mui or Moy.[1] In Vietnam, this surname is written as Mai. In romanized Korean, it is spelled Mae. The name literally translates in English to the plum fruit. The progenitor of the Méi clan, Méi Bo, originated from near a mountain in ancient China that was lined at its base with plum trees.[2]

"Mei" is also an Italian surname, and one transcription of the Slavic surname also spelt Mey (Мей).

  1. ^ Louie, Emma Woo: "Chinese American Names"., p.29. McFarland & Co, Inc., 1998.
  2. ^ Li, Jin Sheng: "Yún hé Sān Bai Xìng.", p. 77. Print date unavailable.