Mei
/meɪ/noun
A Chinese surname or a romanized Chinese word associated with the plum tree or its blossoms.
Did you know?In Chinese culture, the plum blossom is one of the “Four Gentlemen” of traditional art and symbolizes resilience because it blooms while winter is still severe.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
梅 (*mˤə)
“Plum tree or plum fruit”
Middle Chinese, c. 6th–10th centuries
Middle Chinese
梅 (mej)
“Plum; plum tree”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
梅花 (méihuā)
“Plum blossom”
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
梅 (méi)
“Plum; a surname; figuratively associated with plum blossoms”
Modern English
English
Mei
“A Chinese personal name, surname, or transliterated cultural term”