铭 míng — what the character means in a Chinese name

铭míng · B

tier B

铸或刻在器物上的文字，用来称颂，也用来自警。

Words cut into a vessel — to praise someone, or to warn yourself.

1 处原典 · 1 部典籍 · 全部可核

刻在日用器物上的自警

刻在日用器物上的自警 A warning you see every day

汤之盘铭曰：「茍日新，日日新，又日新。

On his washbasin Tang had it cut: renew yourself each day — again, and again.

大学 · 大学 · our translation原文作「銘」

Here 铭 is text cut into an object you use daily. Tang put it on his washbasin: the word means self-warning before it means memorial. 「铭」在这里是刻在天天要用的东西上的字。汤把它刻在洗脸盆上，所以「铭」原意不是纪念，是自警。

座右铭铭心铭记铭刻铭之铭心嘉铭铭远

In a name

What 铭 gives a name is something that stays: not praise received, but a standard you see every day.

「铭」给名字的是「记得住、也守得住」：不是被人夸，是自己每天看见。

What 铭 means in a Chinese namemíng