"His last name is Wang."
Translation:他姓王。
15 Comments
Why is 他的姓是王 incorrect? This one doesn't follow the pattern of the others. Are surnames not considered nouns, and if not, why is there no link necessary between the noun and the name?
In Chinese we just say 我姓[surname]. I would treat the 姓 as a verb, like "to be surnamed", so 我姓王 = I am surnamed Wang.
他的姓是王 doesn't sound too natural.
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You can think of the verb 姓 as similar to German “heißen”, only that it specifically means “to be called by family (last) name”. 姓 can also be used as a noun “last name”, but it’s not particularly natural to use it as such in sentences like “what is your last name/my last name is”.
I asked my Chinese girlfriend this exact question, and this is her replay: "It translates correctly so we can understand if a non-native says this, but this is simply not the way natives speak. It is a complicated way that is never used."
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It doesn't sound natural, like for family members, the 的 should be omitted
