# 純徳



## AmaryllisBunny

How would this be pronounced as a male's name? 純徳 - よしのり?

This is my name in Vietnamese and Chinese mean pure/virtue.


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## frequency

Is reading 純 as よし okay? Kanji reading in a name is very free?


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## wind-sky-wind

あつのり、よしのり、or すみのり


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## karlalou

I think many Japanese can't read that..


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## karlalou

I would like to read it as Jun-Toku.


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## AmaryllisBunny

wind-sky-wind said:


> あつのり、よしのり、or すみのり



Out of those three, which would be possible names for a male? I was thinking maybe the first two?


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## SoLaTiDoberman

AmaryllisBunny said:


> Out of those three, which would be possible names for a male? I was thinking maybe the first two?



All of the three are definitely the names for a male, even the four including じゅんとく.
じゅんとく is possible especially when he is a Buddhist priest, but it's rare.

Besides, I think that the most probable reading would be すみのり.


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## AmaryllisBunny

I just spoke with my colleague (Japanese interpreter) and she said it looks weird. Is there any way to make it "less weird?" 

The name is "pure virtuous." pure: innocent, untainted, sincere/genuine


I also have a name given by my Buddhist teacher, but I need to do some digging...


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## SoLaTiDoberman

I don't know what you're talking about. Sorry.



AmaryllisBunny said:


> I just spoke with my colleague (Japanese interpreter) and she said it *(＜－－－What this "it" means?)* looks weird. Is there any way to make it "less weird?" _*What do you mean?  *_
> 
> The name is "pure virtuous." pure: innocent, untainted, sincere/genuine
> *This is the meaning of each kanji. *
> 
> 
> I also have a name given by my Buddhist teacher* (<-----What do you mean by this? Is this thread talking about your name? ???*, but I need to do some digging...



Who is the Japanese interpreter? Is she a native Japanese speaker?
What did she say to you?
Do you use kanji letters in your country?
I'm confused very much.

In Japan, the meaning of the kanji in one's name is not regard as important in our daily life. Of course parents are seriously thinking about the meaning when they name after their child.
However, names are just names that can identify each individual.

I don't understand your attempt much.
For example, my name is 達夫, which is written as "Tatsuo" in alphabet.
達 means "attain"
夫　means "a husband"
But I don't have an intention to make my English name such as "Attainhusband" or "Gettinghusband" but just write "Tatsuo."

What is exactly your name in Vietnamese?
Is it written in alphabet or kanji or something else?
If your real name is 純徳, what do you pronounce it in your country in your everyday life?

If your colleague said that your attempt was weird, then I agree with her.
I think it's meaningless/funny.


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## YangMuye

Spoiler






SoLaTiDoberman said:


> I don't understand your attempt much.
> For example, my name is 達夫, which is written as "Tatsuo" in alphabet.
> 達 means "attain"
> 夫　means "a husband"
> But I don't have an intention to make my English name such as "Attainhusband" or "Gettinghusband" but just write "Tatsuo."


Sorry I'm nick-picking... no offense, but 達 means 頂点に達する, therefore can extend to mean “become noble” as in 栄達 and 窮達.
達 was once the goal of most Chinese intellectuals. 諸葛孔明 wrote in 出師の表 that 臣は...苟（いや）しくも性命を乱世に全うせんとし、聞達（ぶんたつ）を諸侯に求めず. (聞 means 名が聞かれる(知られる) is similar to 達)

夫 means an adult man. お is a common suffix for male names.

In sum, 達夫 literally means 偉い人になる男.



I heard that when Japanese people pick up a name, they first decide the sound of the name (響き), then based on the sound select the kanji from a candidate list. (And basically all kanji that are permitted by authorities to be used for names are good words.)


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## frequency

YangMuye, what are you talking about? lol

Don't you know the famous and most stupid kid's name 金星（まあず, Mars)?
This is an extreme case though, kanji reading in name is comparatively free. I just wondered 純 can read よし, but if that まあず is okay, よし should be okay as well. Flam knows about this kind of stuff well?


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## YangMuye

I edited and hide the irrelevant content.

I'm talking about 人名用漢字, it seems that only good kanji can be used in names.
Of course, auspicious kanji do not necessarily make good names. (e.g. 運子)

When Chinese parents pick up names, they generally ask 意味がいい first. In Japan, it seems to me that 響きがいい is more important.

I have many Chinese friends whose full names are read or written the same as words like 平凡, 中央, etc.


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## Flaminius

人名用漢字 is an additional list to 常用漢字.  Characters listed there are only for given names and 常用漢字 characters are good for all sorts of administrative documents that include family registries of children.

In one ordinance given out from the Cabinet, it is decreed a character used in a name should not get a reading opposite to the character's meaning.  This is the only restriction to giving kana to the characters of a name (Note that I did not say pronunciation.  For instance a girl is 香 in kanji and かほり in kana and the pronunciation is _Kaori_).

Back to 純徳, it is wise to check how real Japanese men by that name call themselves.  I suspect this is what *wind-sky-wind* did.  One will find that it is not so common but a viable name and can be read in the three ways listed by them in #3.

Pure _on_-reading _Juntoku_ is also a choice.  It reeks of bit of old culture but you don't have to be a member of a Buddhist order for that.


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## frequency

AmaryllisBunny, since this name has the alternatives in reading shown in the wind's post of #3, a Japanese guy with this name may have to tell 'My name is よしのり', when meeting somebody for the first time. Or he or she might ask him how to read the name, when seeing the kanji. I mean you might have to do as well! I think this is greatly okay, and we very often encounter this case.


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## AmaryllisBunny

Thank you everyone for all your help~! From post #7, 'すみのり' was stated as the most probably reading, but it seems 'よしのり' is fine too.

Between 'すみのり' and 'よしのり,' which "sounds better" if any?


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## frequency

U~m, you can select any but よしのり may be the best, in my opinion. Actually I had a friend whose name was よしのり. I've forgotten the kanji, though!


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## SoLaTiDoberman

I personally agree with frequency.
I think よしのり sounds the most natural, although すみのり seems more natural than others when thinking how to read the kanji. 
I too advise you to choose よしのり.


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