DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

正名

Mandarin · pinyin zhèng míng

to replace the current name or title of sth with a new one that reflects its true nature
rectification of names (a tenet of Confucian philosophy)

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

正: zhèng · right, proper, correct
名: míng · name, rank, title, position

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

4–2 · zheng4 ming2

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

2character links1same-tone record

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

正名 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 5 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zing3 ming4

Cantonese word readings for 正名. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

to replace the current name or title of something with a new one that reflects its true nature; to restore one's name
to revise a damaged reputation

noun

(philosophy, especially Confucianism) the rectification of names
official name
official title, official post

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack