Mei is a feminine name of Chinese origin. It can be written using various Chinese characters, most notably 美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or 梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (the species prunus mume). Other characters with similar pronunciations may also be used.Cultural SignificanceThe plum blossom, associated with the character 梅, holds deep cultural significance in China as a symbol of resilience and perseverance, as it blooms in late winter. It is one of the "Three Friends of Winter" in Chinese art and literature. The character 美 is also commonly used in other names and words relating to beauty.Related FormsMei also has cognate forms in other East Asian languages. The Vietnamese equivalent is Mai (often written with the character for "plum") and Mỹ (using a character derived from Chinese meaning "beautiful"). In Japanese, the same characters are read as Ume (for plum) or Bi (for beauty), though the latter is rare as a name.Meaning: "beautiful" or "Chinese plum"Origin: ChineseType: First nameUsage: Chinese, Vietnamese