Name translation
Emily in Chinese
Emily is written 艾米莉 in Chinese, pronounced Ài mǐ lì. This spelling is used in mainland media, as in 艾米莉·布朗特 (Emily Blunt). 埃米莉 and 艾米丽 are also in use; the difference comes from source, not meaning.
艾米莉
Ài mǐ lì
Common form in Chinese media
Ài is fourth tone (sharp and falling), mǐ is third tone (dipping, then rising) and lì is fourth tone. A rough English approximation is "eye mee lee".
Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikidata (CC0)
How this translation works
艾米莉 is a phonetic transliteration: 艾, 米 and 莉 were chosen for their sounds, ài, mǐ and lì, not their meanings. Read literally they suggest mugwort, rice and jasmine, which say nothing about Emily. The English name comes from the Latin Aemilia, often explained as "rival" or "eager".
This form matches how mainland media write well-known people — Emily Blunt appears as 艾米莉·布朗特. That usage is the reason this site uses 艾米莉 as its default answer rather than the older dictionary label 埃米莉, which uses a different first character and a level first tone, Āi.
A third spelling, 艾米丽, is also widely seen, with 丽 ("beautiful") in the final position. All three spellings represent the same English name; the differences come from source and region rather than meaning, so do not read extra significance into the choice.
埃米莉 Āi mǐ lì
Recorded by Wikidata as a Chinese form of Emily. The first syllable uses 埃 with a level first tone, Āi, instead of 艾 with a falling tone.
艾米丽 Ài mǐ lì
A common mainland spelling that ends with 丽 ("beautiful") rather than 莉 ("jasmine"). It represents the same sound and is not a different name.
Related names
Emily is related to Em and Emmy. Em and Emmy are nicknames; on their own they are usually left untranslated or transliterated separately. Emmy is also the name of the television award, written 艾美奖, which is a different word.
When to use this form
艾米莉 translates the name of a real person called Emily — in Chinese news, subtitles or introductions. If instead you want a new Chinese name chosen for its meaning, use the Chinese name generator.
Translate another name on the homepage translator, or create a new personal Chinese name.
Emily in Chinese: FAQ
How do you write Emily in Chinese?
Emily is written 艾米莉 in Chinese, pronounced Ài mǐ lì. This is the spelling used in mainland media, for example 艾米莉·布朗特 for Emily Blunt.
Is it 艾米莉, 埃米莉 or 艾米丽?
All three are in real use. 艾米莉 is the form used here and in much mainland media; 埃米莉 is the label recorded by Wikidata, with a level first tone Āi; 艾米丽 ends with 丽 and is also widely seen. The choice depends on the source, not on meaning.
What does 艾米莉 mean?
Nothing literally — it is phonetic. 艾, 米 and 莉 were selected for their sounds. Emily comes from the Latin Aemilia, often explained as "rival" or "eager", but that meaning is not carried by the Chinese characters.
How do you pronounce 艾米莉?
Ài mǐ lì — fourth tone, third tone, then fourth tone, roughly "eye mee lee". The first syllable falls sharply, the second dips, and the last falls again. Use the hear-it button on this page to listen.