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Choi (Korean surname)

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This article is about the Korean surname Choi. For Cantonese romanisation of the Chinese surname Cai (蔡), see Cai (surname).
Choi
PronunciationCh'oe, Tchoi, Chye
Language(s)Korean
Origin
Meaningtop, most
Region of originNorth and South Korea
Other names
Related namesCui, Thôi
Choi
Hangul
최
Hanja
Revised RomanizationChoe
McCune–ReischauerCh'oe
45% of Korean people bear the family name Kim, Lee, or Park
  Kim, Gim
  Lee, Yi, Rhee
  Park, Pak
  Choi
  Jung, Jeong, Chung, Cheong

Choi (Korean: 최, Chinese: 崔) is a common Korean family name. In English speaking countries, it is most often anglicized Choi, and sometimes also Choe. Ethnic Koreans in the former USSR prefer the form Tsoi (Tsoy) especially as a transcription of the Cyrillic Цой.

Origin

  • According to Samguk Sagi, the Gyeongju clan originates from chief Sobeoldori (소벌도리, 蘇伐都利) of Goheochon (고허촌, 高墟村), one of six villages that united to found Silla; The Gyeongju clan traces their origin back to Choi Chiwon (857-10th century), a noted Korean scholar, philosopher, and poet of the late Unified Silla period (668-935).
  • The history of the Haeju clan explains that it is an offshoot of the Gyeongju clan; One theory of origin suggests that Haeju clan's progenitor Choi Choong (최충, 崔沖, 984–1068) was given the surname 崔 during the reign of Goryeo king Mokjong.
  • The progenitor of the Chungju clan is General Choi Seung (최승, 崔陞), also known as Choi Woo (최우, 崔偶), of Silla (known as Cui Sheng in Tang Dynasty)
  • The progenitor of the Nangju clan is Choi Heun (최흔, 崔昕) of Silla who was a native of Yeongam (Nangju) of the southern Jeolla region.
  • Choi Ri (최리, 崔理) is leader of Lelang Commandery at Han Dynasty.

Clans

There are roughly 160 clans of Chois.[citation needed] Most of these are quite small. However, Choi is the 4th most common surname in Korea. The largest by far is the Gyeongju Choi clan, with a 2000 South Korean population of 976,820. The Gyeongju Choe claim the Silla scholar Choe Chi-won as their founder.[1]

Etymology

Choi (Hangul: 최) is written with the Hanja character 崔, meaning "a governor who oversees the land and the mountain". The surname Choi also means high, superior, lofty or mountain.

Choi (崔), originally written in Hanja, is derived from the combination of 2 ancient Chinese characters:

  • 山 is a pictogram symbolizing the mountains;
  • 隹 is a pictogram symbolizing a bird.

Pronunciation

최 is pronounced Korean pronunciation: [tɕʰø] in Korean. The vowel sound is similar to the German ö [ø]. In English-speaking countries, it is pronounced most often as Choi in its anglicized form that rhymes with soy.

崔 is pronounced Cui in Mandarin and Cheui in Cantonese.

List of prominent people with the surname Choi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "최 崔" (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1009-09-18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "최세진 崔世珍" (in Korean). Encyclopedia of Korean Culture. Retrieved 2009-09-18. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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