Cheng 2

Cheng is a Cantonese romanization of the Chinese surname Zheng. In Mandarin, the surname is commonly romanized as Zheng, but in Cantonese-speaking regions such as Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong province, the pronunciation and spelling shift to Cheng. The underlying Chinese characters are typically 正 (meaning “right, proper, correct”) or 政 (meaning “government”), both pronounced zhèng in Mandarin. However, the surname can also be derived from other characters with a similar sound, reflecting the diversity of Chinese surnames.

The use of romanizations like Cheng reflects the linguistic and regional variations within Chinese-speaking communities. While the overwhelming majority of speakers use Mandarin as their standard language, Cantonese maintains a strong presence in southern China and among overseas Chinese communities. Consequently, many families with the Zheng surname retain the Cheng spelling in official documents and daily usage in Hong Kong, Macau, and countries like Malaysia or Singapore, where Cantonese is widely spoken.

Like many Chinese surnames, Zheng has a long history; according to traditional Chinese genealogical sources, the surname originates from the ancient state of Zheng during the Zhou dynasty. Descendants of the ruling house adopted the state name as their surname. Over centuries, the name spread throughout China, with particular concentrations in Fujian, Guangdong, and Zhejiang.

In other East Asian cultures, cognate forms of the surname exist. In Korean, the surname is romanized as Chung, Jeong, or Jung 2, depending on the romanization system. Despite these variant spellings, they are often derived from the same Chinese character 郑 (Simplified: 郑) or others with similar pronunciation. Thus, Cheng connects a vast network of East Asian surnames sharing a common ancestral root.

Today, Cheng (from Zheng) ranks as one of the most common Chinese surnames globally. According to surname-distribution data, it is particularly frequent in China, Taiwan, and throughout the Chinese diaspora. The variant Cheng perpetuates the Cantonese linguistic identity and serves as a marker of heritage for families whose ancestors migrated from the Pearl River Delta region.

• Meaning: “right, proper, correct” or “government”
• Origin: Chinese
• Type: Surname
• Usage: Cantonese-speaking regions (Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong), overseas Chinese communities