How do Chinese pronounce Japanese names?

When Chinese people pronounce Japanese names, they generally follow the Chinese pronunciations of the characters used in the Japanese names. Here are some key points to understand this process:

Use of Chinese Pronunciations

Chinese names and Japanese names often share the same characters, but the pronunciations can differ significantly. In Chinese, Japanese names are read using the Chinese pronunciations of the kanji characters. For example, the Japanese name "Yamada Tarō" (山田 太郎) would be pronounced as "Shāntián Tàiláng" in Standard Mandarin2.

Character Readings

The Chinese approach involves using the Chinese readings of the kanji characters, which can be quite different from the Japanese readings. For instance, the Japanese city "Tokyo" (東京) is read as "Dōngjīng" in Chinese, using the Chinese pronunciations of the characters 東 (Dōng) and 京 (Jīng)1.

Consistency with Chinese Naming Conventions

This method applies not only to place names but also to personal names. Chinese people will read Japanese names by applying the Chinese pronunciation rules to the kanji characters used in those names. This ensures consistency with how Chinese names are typically read and pronounced12.

In summary, Chinese people pronounce Japanese names by using the Chinese pronunciations of the kanji characters, which can result in names sounding quite different from their original Japanese pronunciations.