Catherine in Chinese
Catherine in Chinese is 凯瑟琳 (Kǎi Sè Lín).
- Origin
- Greek
- Meaning
- pure
Etymologically, Catherine is Greek and is commonly glossed as "pure". It has been in continuous US use since Social Security records begin in 1880, peaking in the 1950s. Spellings pronounced the same way include Katherine, Kathryn, which share the transliteration 凯瑟琳.
3 ways to write Catherine
phonetic
Following the sound of your name
凯瑟琳
Kǎi Sè Lín
The standard transliteration of Catherine: 凯 (kǎi, "triumph, victory song"), 瑟 (sè, "a zither (classical)"), 琳 (lín, "beautiful jade"). Chosen for sound, it is instantly recognizable as this name.
Why these characters?
The mapping is one character per syllable: 凯 (kǎi) carries "ca", 瑟 (sè) carries "the", 琳 (lín) carries "rin". The tone contour is 3-4-2 (dipping, falling, rising).
Character breakdown
33 strokes total (simplified)- 凯
kǎi
Tone 3 · 8 strokes (simplified)
triumph, victory song
- 瑟
sè
Tone 4 · 13 strokes (simplified)
a zither (classical)
- 琳
lín
Tone 2 · 12 strokes (simplified)
beautiful jade
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
Loading stroke guides…
meaningful
Chosen for meaning and association
素心
Sù Xīn
Inspired by "pure": 素 (sù, "plain, simple, pure") + 心 (xīn, "heart, mind"), expressing purity and clarity.
Why these characters?
素 (plain, simple, pure) answers the "pure" in Catherine's meaning, and 心 (heart, mind) rounds it off as a typical ending for girls' names.
Character breakdown
14 strokes total (simplified)- 素
sù
Tone 4 · 10 strokes (simplified)
plain, simple, pure
- 心
xīn
Tone 1 · 4 strokes (simplified)
heart, mind
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
Loading stroke guides…
balanced
A balance of sound and meaning
凯莹
Kǎi Yíng
凯 (kǎi, "triumph, victory song") + 莹 (yíng, "lustrous, gem-like"): echoes the sound of the English name while carrying meaning.
Why these characters?
It keeps 凯 (kǎi), the same opening character as the transliteration 凯瑟琳, for the "ca" sound, and replaces the rest with 莹 ("lustrous, gem-like") so the whole reads as a real given name.
Character breakdown
19 strokes total (simplified)- 凯
kǎi
Tone 3 · 8 strokes (simplified)
triumph, victory song
- 莹
yíng
Tone 2 · 11 strokes (simplified)
lustrous, gem-like
PNG · black on white
Stroke order
Loading stroke guides…
Popularity in the US
US Social Security records show 658,856 girls named Catherine since 1880, with the high point in 1956 (12,067 births) and the busiest decade being the 1950s. Between 1990 and 2017 it slipped, from #71 to #198 among girls.
- Peak year
- 1956
- Peak decade
- 1950s
- First year
- 1880
- Total since 1880
- 658,856
More About Catherine in Chinese
The Chinese translation of Catherine offers multiple styles to suit different preferences. Whether you prefer a phonetic transliteration that sounds like your name, or a meaningful interpretation that captures the essence of Catherine, you'll find options that work for you.
Catherine is also spelled Katherine and Kathryn — all spellings share the same Chinese characters.
Names with the same root meaning include Katie in Chinese, Kaitlyn in Chinese, Katelyn in Chinese, Caitlin in Chinese, Karen in Chinese, Kathleen in Chinese, Katrina in Chinese, Kaitlin in Chinese, Kate in Chinese, and Caitlyn in Chinese, which share similar origins or meanings.
If you're exploring Chinese names for girls, you might also be interested in Katherine in Chinese, Kathryn in Chinese, and Katie in Chinese. Each name has its own unique character combinations and meanings.
Other popular choices include Kaitlyn in Chinese, Katelyn in Chinese, Caitlin in Chinese, Karen in Chinese, and Kathleen in Chinese, each with beautiful traditional and simplified character options.
When choosing Chinese characters for Catherine, consider whether you want:
- Phonetic accuracy: Characters that sound like Catherine to native Chinese speakers
- Meaningful symbolism: Characters chosen for their beautiful meanings and cultural significance
- Balanced approach: A combination of sound and meaning that works well in both languages
Browse our complete A-Z index of Chinese names to explore more options, or start with our curated list of popular names in Chinese to see what others are choosing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write Catherine in Chinese?
凯瑟琳 (Kǎi Sè Lín), or 凱瑟琳 in traditional script. This is the conventional transliteration used in Chinese media.
How many strokes does 凯瑟琳 have?
33 strokes in simplified form and 37 in traditional; per character: 凯 8, 瑟 13, 琳 12.
Is Catherine written differently in traditional Chinese?
Yes: 凯瑟琳 becomes 凱瑟琳; the changed characters are 凯→凱. Use traditional for Taiwan or Hong Kong audiences.
Related names and spelling variants
Amelia
阿米莉亚
Germanic
Caitlin
凯特琳
Irish/Greek
Caitlyn
凯特琳
Irish/Greek
Caroline
卡罗琳
Germanic
Evelyn
伊芙琳
English/Germanic
Gabrielle
加布丽埃尔
Hebrew
Jenna
珍娜
Cornish/Arabic
Kaitlin
凯特琳
Irish/Greek
Kaitlyn
凯特琳
Irish/Greek
Karen
凯伦
Danish/Greek
Kate
凯特
Greek
Katelyn
凯特琳
Irish/Greek
Katherine
凯瑟琳
Greek
Kathleen
凯思琳
Irish/Greek
Kathryn
凯瑟琳
Greek
Katie
凯蒂
Greek
Katrina
卡特里娜
Greek
Kaylee
凯莉
American/Irish
Lily
莉莉
English
Melanie
梅兰妮
Greek
Paige
佩奇
English