Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
HUH? Many Chinese names are short words of one syllable.
These names are for use in newspaper articles. The rule is to use the full name when referring to someone in an article, unless there is a reason to withhold their name (e.g., reporting on a criminal case). Traditionally full names are three characters (i.e., syllables) long with two character names being common with people from mainland China.