Name translation
Sarah in Chinese
Sarah is written 莎拉 in Chinese, pronounced Shā lā. This is the standard phonetic transliteration used in Chinese media, as in 莎拉·佩林 (Sarah Palin). The characters carry only the sound, not the Hebrew meaning "princess".
莎拉
Shā lā
Common form in Chinese media
Also written: 萨拉
Shā is first tone (high and level) and lā is first tone. A rough English approximation is "shah lah", with both syllables long and even.
Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How this translation works
莎拉 is a phonetic transliteration: 莎 and 拉 were chosen for their sounds, shā and lā, not their meanings. Read literally, 莎 is used for a kind of grass and 拉 means "to pull", neither of which describes Sarah, which comes from Hebrew and is usually explained as "princess".
This is the form used in Chinese media for public figures: Sarah Palin appears as 莎拉·佩林, and Sarah Jessica Parker as 莎拉·杰西卡·帕克. The Chinese Wikipedia article on Palin is the source recorded here, so the spelling follows real usage rather than a guess.
A second spelling, 萨拉, is also seen, starting with 萨 and a falling fourth tone Sà. The characters are different but the name is the same; choose the form used in the Chinese coverage of the person you are writing about.
萨拉 Sà lā
Another common spelling. It begins with 萨 and a falling fourth tone Sà instead of 莎 and the level tone Shā, but refers to the same English name.
Related names
Sarah is related to Sally. Sally is a diminutive of Sarah with its own transliteration, commonly 萨莉 (Sà lì) or 莎莉 (Shā lì). It is not interchangeable with 莎拉, so a person called Sally should not be written 莎拉, and the reverse.
When to use this form
莎拉 translates the name of a real person called Sarah — 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.
Sarah in Chinese: FAQ
How do you write Sarah in Chinese?
Sarah is written 莎拉 in Chinese, pronounced Shā lā. This is the form used in Chinese media, for example 莎拉·佩林 for Sarah Palin.
Is it 莎拉 or 萨拉?
Both are in real use and represent the same name. 莎拉 begins with 莎 and the level tone Shā; 萨拉 begins with 萨 and the falling tone Sà. If you are writing about a specific person, follow their Chinese coverage.
What does 莎拉 mean?
Nothing literally — it is phonetic. 莎 and 拉 were selected for their sounds. Sarah comes from Hebrew and is usually explained as "princess", but that meaning is not carried by the Chinese characters.
How do you pronounce 莎拉?
Shā lā — two level first tones, roughly "shah lah". Both syllables are long and even, with no rise or fall. Use the hear-it button on this page to listen.