Choi (Korean name)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Choi (Korean name) | |
|---|---|
| Hangul: |
최
|
| Hanja: |
崔
|
| Revised Romanization: | Choe |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Ch'oe |
- This article is about the Korean surname Choi (최/崔). For the Chinese surname Cai (蔡), sometimes transliterated as Choi, see Cai (surname).
Choi, sometimes spelled Choe or Chey or Choy, is a common Korean family name. The 2000 South Korean census counted 2,169,704 people bearing this name. Many others live in North Korea and around the world. The vowel sound is similar to the German ö [œ], but in English-speaking countries, most Chois prefer the anglicized form that rhymes with soy. Ethnic Koreans in the former USSR prefer the form Tsoi (Tsoy) (Russian Цой), e.g. Russian rock artist Viktor Tsoi.
Contents |
[edit] Clans
There are roughly 160 clans of Chois. Most of these are quite small. The largest by far is the Gyeongju Choi clan, with a 2000 South Korean population of 976,820. The Gyeongju Choe claim the Silla scholar Choe Chi-won as their founder.
[edit] Etymology
The name Choi (崔) is derived from the combination of 3 ancient Chinese characters:
- 山 symbolizes the mountains.
- 人 symbolizes a person.
- 土 symbolizes the soil. In Choi, two 土 are used to symbolize the land.
Choi means a governor, who oversees the people, the land, and the mountain. The surname Choi also means high, superior, lofty or towering, which might explain why this surname is mostly used as surnames of antagonists in Korean soap operas.[citation needed]
[edit] List of people with the surname Choi
- Choi, Eleanor, Teacher, USA
- Choi Cheol-han, South Korean professional Go player.
- Choe Chi-won, a scholar of the Silla period.
- Choi Chol-Su, North Korean boxer.
- Choe Chung-heon, military dictator of the Goryeo period.
- Choi Eun-Kyung, South Korean speedskater.
- Choi Eun-hee, South Korean actress once abducted to the North.
- Geesung Choi, high-ranking Samsung executive.
- Choe Gyuha (1919-2006), transitional President of South Korea following the assassination of Park Chung-hee.
- Choi Han, South Korean voice actor.
- Hee Seop Choi, a South Korean baseball player.
- Choi Hong Hi, South Korean general considered the founder of taekwondo.
- Choi Hong-man, South Korean kickboxer.
- Choi Ji Woo (b. 1975), South Korean actress and model.
- Choi Jin-Cheul, a K-League footballer.
- Choe Jun (1884-1970), businessman and philanthropist.
- Choi Kwang-Do, a Korean martial art.
- Choi Kyoung-hwan, a South Korean politician.
- Choi Kyung-Ju, professional golfer known as K.J. Choi.
- Choe Manri, an early critic of hangul.
- Choi John, Saint Paul City Attorney (Appointed 2006)
- Choi Min-sik, South Korean actor.
- Choe Mu-seon, a 14th-century Korean inventor.
- Choi Myung-Hoon (b. 1975), South Korean professional Go player.
- Choi Sang Ki, South Korean voice actor.
- Choi Sejin, a 15th-century linguist.
- Choi Seok Pil, South Korean voice actor.
- Choi Seong Woo, South Korean voice actor.
- Choi Soo Jin, South Korean voice actor.
- Choi Sung-Hee, K-pop singer known as "Bada."
- Choi Sung-Kuk, K-League footballer.
- Choi Sung-Yong, K-League footballer.
- Choi Tae-Uk, J-League footballer.
- Choe U (d. 1249), military dictator of the Goryeo period.
- Choi Won Hyeong, South Korean voice actor.
- Choi Won-Kwon, K-league footballer.
- Choe Yeong-ui, founder of Kyokushin karate, better known as Masutatsu Oyama.
- Choe Yeong, military leader of late Goryeo.
- Choi Yeon-Sung, professional StarCraft player.
- Choi Yong-kun (1903-1972), high-ranking North Korean official.
- Choi Yong-Soo, J-League footballer.
- Choi Yong Sul, founder of hapkido.
- Choi Si Won, K-pop singer/actor from boyband Super Junior
