著名 (zhù míng) is an adjective meaning 'famous' or 'well-known'. It combines two characters: 著 (zhù), which means 'prominent', 'notable', or 'renowned', and 名 (míng), meaning 'name' or 'reputation'. Together, they literally convey 'having a prominent name' — that is, widely recognized for achievement, talent, or significance. The word emphasizes established reputation rather than fleeting popularity.

著名 is commonly used to describe people (e.g., writers, scientists), places (e.g., landmarks, cities), institutions, works of art, or historical events. It carries a formal, respectful tone and appears frequently in written Chinese — newspapers, biographies, travel guides, and academic texts — more often than in casual speech. Unlike colloquial terms like 火 (huǒ, 'trendy') or 红 (hóng, 'popular'), 著名 implies enduring recognition and objective accomplishment.