Linguistics and language learning: The Chinese surname XIE

linguistblog:

So let’s say you come across a Chinese surname, but only know it’s Xie. Also presumably it’s first tone, Xiē.

Now looking up the 百家姓 Bǎijiāxìng (despite called “Hundred Family Names”, it contains more than 500 actually) doesn’t help, because it has two names that are Xie, but they are both…