The four-part structure
Under the Regulations on Enterprise Name Registration Management (in force since 1 March 2021), a name is built from:
| Part | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative division | 上海 (Shanghai) | Usually the city of registration |
| Trade name | 星宇 (Xingyu) | Two or more Chinese characters. This is the distinctive part |
| Industry or business feature | 贸易 (Trading) | Should match the main business scope |
| Organisational form | 有限公司 (Co., Ltd.) | Set by the company type |
Put together, that gives 上海星宇贸易有限公司, or “Shanghai Xingyu Trading Co., Ltd.” in English.
The place name can also go in brackets after the trade name, as in 星宇（上海）贸易有限公司. This is common for subsidiaries of well-known foreign brands.
What isn’t allowed
- Latin letters and numerals. The registered name is Chinese characters only.
- “China”, “Chinese”, “national” and similar words (中国, 中华, 全国, 国家) without special approval.
- Names that are misleading, offensive or contrary to public order.
- Names that are the same as, or confusingly close to, an existing company’s name in the same industry within the same registration authority.
- The names of political parties, military units and state bodies.
How the check works
China uses a self-declaration system. The applicant enters the proposed name in the local SAMR online system, which compares it against existing names and the prohibited lists, and then commits that the name doesn’t infringe anyone’s rights.
Passing the automatic check isn’t the end of the risk. If the name conflicts with an earlier company or a well-known trademark, the owner can still challenge it later and SAMR can order a change.
Prepare three to five candidate trade names, because the first choice is often taken.
The English name
The English name is not registered and has no legal status. In practice:
- contracts, invoices (fapiao), bank accounts and court filings use the Chinese name
- the English name is a translation the company chooses, usually used in the articles and on marketing materials
- foreign counterparties should always check the Chinese name and USCC on the business licence before signing
Protect the trade name separately
Registering a company name doesn’t give trademark rights. Register the Chinese trade name and brand as trademarks too; see our trademark registration service. A competitor’s company name is also a common way for brand squatters to use your brand.
We reserve the name as the first step of every WFOE registration.