name Common

Chen

chehn

Chen (name) means a common Chinese surname. Example: “Mr. Chen runs the restaurant on the corner.”

name

A common Chinese surname.

"Mr. Chen runs the restaurant on the corner."

noun

An informal, somewhat dated way to refer to a Chinese man whose name is unknown to the speaker.

"The old joke assumed every waiter was named "Chen"."

How to use Chen

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMainly used as a Chinese family name.

Word forms

Chens plural

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Test yourself on “Chen” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Mr. _____ runs the restaurant on the corner.

Etymology

From Mandarin Chén (陳/陈); related to the surnames Tan, Chan, and Tran, which come from the same Chinese character in different dialects.

Origin: Chinese

Rhymes for Chen

hen when then shen Zhen

See all rhymes for Chen →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Chen” mean?

The word “Chen” means a common Chinese surname. In plain terms, mainly used as a Chinese family name.

How do you pronounce “Chen”?

“Chen” is pronounced chehn (/t͡ʃɛn/ in IPA).

How do you use “Chen” in a sentence?

Here is “Chen” used in a sentence: “Mr. Chen runs the restaurant on the corner.”

What part of speech is “Chen”?

Depending on how it is used, “Chen” can be a name and a noun.

Where does the word “Chen” come from?

The word “Chen” comes from Chinese. From Mandarin Chén (陳/陈); related to the surnames Tan, Chan, and Tran, which come from the same Chinese character in different dialects.

Is “Chen” a common word?

“Chen” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Chen” have?

“Chen” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a common Chinese surname.

Is "Chen" a given name or a family name?

"Chen" is a common Chinese surname, meaning it is used as a family name rather than a personal first name. As with other Chinese surnames, it is shared by many unrelated families.

In a Chinese name, does the surname "Chen" come first or last?

In the traditional Chinese naming order, the family name comes first, so "Chen" would appear before the given name. When written in English, however, some people place "Chen" last to match Western convention.

Are there other spellings of the surname "Chen"?

The same Chinese surname is romanised differently depending on the dialect. In Mandarin it is usually written "Chen," while related forms include "Chan" in Cantonese and "Tan" in Hokkien.

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Vocabulary lists that include Chen:

Words with Chinese origins