Harimoto family name

[Tono62]

I saw that the Harimoto siblings were born in Sendai, Japan, but their parents immigrated from China in the 90's. They adopted the family name Harimoto when they became naturalized Japanese citizens. I wondered how they chose the name 'Harimoto', and here's my theory. I don't speak/read Japanese or Chinese, so I'm just making this up from what I've googled.

Their Chinese family name was Zhang, which in Chinese is written with the same kanji character as 'Hari' in Japanese. Then, 'moto' means 'origin' or 'root', so I'm guessing the kanji characters for 'Harimoto' can be interpreted as 'originally Zhang'. Just curious.

Someone who speaks/reads Japanese, please let me know if my theory is close to reality, or if I'm completely off.

 

[TensorBackhand]

I saw that the Harimoto siblings were born in Sendai, Japan, but their parents immigrated from China in the 90's. They adopted the family name Harimoto when they became naturalized Japanese citizens. I wondered how they chose the name 'Harimoto', and here's my theory. I don't speak/read Japanese or Chinese, so I'm just making this up from what I've googled.

Their Chinese family name was Zhang, which in Chinese is written with the same kanji character as 'Hari' in Japanese. Then, 'moto' means 'origin' or 'root', so I'm guessing the kanji characters for 'Harimoto' can be interpreted as 'originally Zhang'. Just curious.

Someone who speaks/reads Japanese, please let me know if my theory is close to reality, or if I'm completely off.

I might be wrong, but I think in Japan there is something like a list of acceptable last names with kanji, and its a very long list.

They probably just looked at a list of which names included "zhang", and then picked one they liked.

I think I remember meeting other Chinese in Japan that did something like this.

 

[Tony's Table Tennis]

I saw that the Harimoto siblings were born in Sendai, Japan, but their parents immigrated from China in the 90's. They adopted the family name Harimoto when they became naturalized Japanese citizens. I wondered how they chose the name 'Harimoto', and here's my theory. I don't speak/read Japanese or Chinese, so I'm just making this up from what I've googled.

Their Chinese family name was Zhang, which in Chinese is written with the same kanji character as 'Hari' in Japanese. Then, 'moto' means 'origin' or 'root', so I'm guessing the kanji characters for 'Harimoto' can be interpreted as 'originally Zhang'. Just curious.

Someone who speaks/reads Japanese, please let me know if my theory is close to reality, or if I'm completely off.

you are spot on

a lot of Chinese TT immigrants do try and find a name that does have that second word to resemblance something unique to them.

another coach, the second word was actually of his wife's surname/family name, so it was a no brainer for them and they went for it.

in Chinese the name would be Zhang Zhi-He / Zhang Mei-He
with Zhi and Mei separating the siblings.
So the name is carefully selected to work in both Japanese and Chinese