# Zhao (surname)

Zhao (/dʒaʊ/; traditional Chinese: 趙; simplified Chinese: 赵; pinyin: Zhào; Wade–Giles: Chao⁴) is a Chinese-language surname. The name is first in the Hundred Family Surnames – the traditional list of all Chinese surnames – because it was the emperor's surname of the Song dynasty (960–1279) when the list was compiled. The first line of the poem is 趙錢孫李 (Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li).
Zhao may be romanized as "Chiu" from the Cantonese pronunciation, and is romanized in Taiwan and Hong Kong as "Chao" in the Wade–Giles system. It is romanized as Vietnamese family name "Triệu" among the Chinese diaspora in Vietnam. Zhao is cognate to Korean family name "Cho" (조) in Korea.
The romanization is shared with the much rarer family name Zhào (兆).

## Modern culture

In Lu Xun's novel The True Story of Ah Q, Ah Q said he belonged to the same clan as Mr. Zhao, who was an honored landlord of the village. Mr. Zhao was very angry. He slapped Ah Q's face and said, 'How could you be named Zhao!—Do you think you are worthy of the name Zhao?'
Since 2015 or earlier, in the Chinese internet, Zhao became the intimation of the Chinese Communist Party and the 'State of Zhao' became the intimation of China. Similarly, 'The Zhao Family' refers to the dignitaries of China, and "The Zhao's Army" refers to the People's Liberation Army. 'How could you be named Zhao!' is popular to satirize the people who are humble but pretend to be powerful.
In 2016, the blog writer Program Think set up a GitHub project named Zhao. The project collects the relationships among more than 700 people in over 130 families including Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, and many other high level government officials of the Chinese Communist Party. The Cyberspace Administration of China requested GitHub to remove the project. Error status code 451 would be reached if the connection request to the project is from China.

## Prominent people with the family name
### Historical figures

* Zhao Zheng (traditional Chinese: 趙政), the first emperor of China, founder of the Qin dynasty, most commonly known as Qin Shi Huang (traditional Chinese: 秦始皇)
* Zhao Chengjiao (趙成蟜), the first emperor's half-brother, after the first emperor inherited the throne, he rebelled and was killed by the emperor
* Zhao Chou, warlord during the Late Tang dynasty
* Zhao Dejun, general of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Tang and Later Tang's predecessor state Jin
* Zhao Gao, close advisor to emperors during the Qin dynasty. He was one of the most corrupt, villainous, violent and powerful eunuchs in Chinese history
* Zhao Guangyi, chancellor of Southern Han
* Zhao Jieyu, a consort of Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty
* Zhao Kuangyin (趙匡胤) or Emperor Taizu of Song (宋太祖), the founder of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Deyin, warlord late in the Tang dynasty
* Zhao Dezhao, second son of Emperor Taizu
* Zhao Feiyan, empress of the Western Han dynasty to Emperor Cheng
* Zhao Hede, imperial consort to Emperor Cheng of Han sister to Empress Zhao Feiyan
* Zhao Kuangyi, brother of Zhao Kuangyin and second emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Heng, third emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Zhen, fourth emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Shu, fifth emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Xu, sixth emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Xu, seventh emperor of the Song dynasty
* Zhao Ji, eighth emperor of the Song dynasty, famous for being a skilled poet, painter, calligrapher, and musician.
* Zhao Boju, painter during the Song dynasty
* Zhao Yun (traditional Chinese: 趙雲), general of Shu Han during the era of Three Kingdoms
* Zhao Mengfu calligrapher, descendant of the Song imperial family
* Zhao Yong calligrapher, son of Zhao Mengfu, descendant of the Song imperial family
* Zhao Yiguang, literary figure and author during the Ming dynasty, relative of Zhao Mengfu, descendant of the Song imperial family

### Modern figures

* Amanda Zhao Wei, Chinese student murdered in Canada in 2002
* Zhao Baotong (simplified Chinese: 赵宝桐) (1928-2003), Chinese Korean War flying ace
* Ben Y. Zhao, Professor of Computer Science at University of Chicago
* Zhao Benshan (traditional Chinese: 趙本山), comedian/actor/director
* Carol Zhao (born 1995), Canadian tennis player
* Chloé Zhao (born 1982), Chinese filmmaker
* Zhao Dan (traditional Chinese: 趙丹), Chinese actor popular during the golden age of Chinese Cinema
* Zhao Erfeng, warlord and historian
* Zhao Erxun, governor of Sichuan
* Zhao Fuxin (1904–1999), physics professor
* Zhao Hongbo (traditional Chinese: 趙宏博), a pairs figure skater
* Jack Zhao, Chinese bridge player
* Zhao Jiamin (traditional Chinese: 趙嘉敏), Chinese idol singer and former member of the Chinese idol group SNH48
* Zhao Jingmin, UN commander, Chinese major general
* Zhao Jingshen (traditional Chinese: 趙景深), novelist
* Zhao Jiping (traditional Chinese: 趙季平), composer
* Zhao Jiwei, Chinese basketball player
* Zhao Lijian, Chinese politician
* Zhao Liying, Chinese actress
* Zhao Lusi, Chinese actress
* Zhao Shuli (traditional Chinese: 趙樹理), novelist
* Qing Zhao, electronics scientist
* Vincent Zhao (traditional Chinese: 趙文卓), martial artist and actor
* Zhao Wei (traditional Chinese: 趙薇, simplified Chinese: 赵薇), actress
* Xiran Jay Zhao (born 1997), Chinese-Canadian writer
* Zhao Xintong (born 1997), Chinese snooker player
* Zhao Yi (traditional Chinese:　趙翼), poet, historian, and critic during the Qing dynasty
* Zhao Yiman (simplified Chinese: 赵一曼), Chinese freedom fighter
* Zhao Yiqin, Chinese actor
* Zhao Yue (traditional Chinese: 趙粵), Chinese singer, member of Chinese idol group SNH48, and member of Chinese girl group BonBon Girls 303
* Zhao Yongsheng, race walker
* Zhao Yun, Hong Kong lawyer
* Zhao Zhiqian (traditional Chinese:　趙之謙), Qing dynasty calligrapher
* Zhao Ziyang (traditional Chinese: 趙紫陽, simplified Chinese: 赵紫阳), former general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and premier of China
* Zhao Zong-Yuan, Chinese-Australian chess grandmaster
* Elaine L. Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙小蘭), American politician, served as the 24th United States secretary of labor
* Rosalind Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙家玲), American actress
* Sam Chu Lin (traditional Chinese: 趙帝恩), American journalist
* Yuen Ren Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙元任), Chinese linguist
* Cecil Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙世曾), Hong Kong entrepreneur
* Chao Chuan (traditional Chinese: 趙傳), Taiwanese pop singer
* Mark Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙又廷), Taiwanese actor, singer and model
* Cindy Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙心綺), Taiwanese jewellery designer
* Bondy Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙學而), Hong Kong singer and actress
* Angie Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙雅芝), Hong Kong actress, third runner up in the 1973 Miss Hong Kong pageant
* Bryan Chiu, retired Canadian professional football player; played Centre for the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL from 1997 to 2010
* Baldwin Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙保榮) as Only Won, hip hop artist, actor, producer, martial artist, national White House engineering spokesperson
* Kenny Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙錦榮), Canadian politician, Member of Parliament for Steveston—Richmond East
* Keina Chiu (趙慧奈; born 1995), Japanese-Chinese television news journalist
* Judy Chu (traditional Chinese: 趙美心), American politician and educator
* Suisheng Zhao, Chinese political scientist