About

My parents never gave me a Chinese name. My grandfather who was influenced by the British somehow didn’t think it was necessary. My brother Brian, however, was given one because Mum said he was a boy – and it won’t do for boys to have no Chinese name because they are supposed to carry on the family lineage. So no Chinese names had my sister and I.

I asked a friend to create a Chinese name for me some years ago. She wrote 許 for KOH and gave me 安 宁 based on the sound of my name Angeline.

Angeline or Angel for short of course means “Messenger of God” or “Bringer of Good News.” It was given me by my grandfather although I am not sure if he was a believer.

In Japanese calligraphy it is written (in katakana) or (in hirakana) and (in kanji). (Katakana is the standard way names are translated to Japanese and is how names appear in Japanese dictionaries)

KOH 許 OR 许 (shortened form) is my family name.

許when combined with different words carry different meaning. For instance, 许愿 means wish and 应许, promise. 许… 很多 or 许多 means many. It also means praise, perhaps, promise, allow.

The rest of my name which my friend gave to me… 平安 means peace, or 宁静 quietness. And 宁 tranquil.

So my name 安宁 translates peaceful, quiet, mostly serene, even if that’s really far from where I am but where I want to be.

Today I discovered that 許 in Japanese is read KYO or YURUZU and means forgiveness.

Although someone else chose my names for me, it was my Father in heaven who gave me my names. John 10:2 says “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ” I love my name and pray that I will live up to what Father created me for.

P.S. In case you are impressed with my level of Mandarin… the meanings were all typed out and explained to me by others.