Cheung

Cheung is the Cantonese romanization of the Chinese surname Zhang, among other origins. It is commonly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and among overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia and the West.

Etymology

The most frequent source of Cheung is the surname 張 (simplified: 张), meaning “to stretch” or “to extend.” This character originally referred to a bow maker who stretched wood for bows. In Cantonese, 張 is romanized as Cheung (Jyutping: Zoeng1), while in Mandarin it becomes Zhāng or Chang. The surname also corresponds to 章 (meaning “chapter” or “stamp”) and, in some cases, 蔣 (Jyutping: Zoeng2, a place name), giving Cheung multiple possible origins. In Vietnamese, the equivalent of 張 is Trương, sharing the same character.

Distribution

Cheung is common Hong Kong and Macau, appearing among business leaders, entertainers, and historical figures. In the United States, it ranks just over 4,000th in frequency, according to 1990 and 2000 census data, reflecting the presence of Cantonese-speaking immigrants. By contrast, the Mandarin romanization Chang and the standard Pinyin Zhang are more widespread in mainland China and Taiwan.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals with the surname Cheung include Hong Kong film stars such as Jackie Cheung (a Cantonese opera name for an action actor) and Anita Mui’s contemporary singer Jacky Cheung (张學友). In business, Cheung Yan became one of China’s richest self-made women. The name also appears in Hong Kong politics, e.g., Cheung Man-kwong, a former legislator.

Other Cantonese romanizations of the same surnames include Chong for Cantonese speakers from certain regions.

• Meaning: “stretch, extend” (張), also related to “chapter” (章) and “place name” (蔣)
• Origin: Chinese (Cantonese)
• Type: Surname
• Main usage regions: Hong Kong, Macau, overseas Cantonese communities