My last name/surname is West. Can I just write it as the kanji 西 _nishi_? It
means West but it's also a last name. If not, how do you write West in
katakana?
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kanji katakana names culture
Can I use 西 as my last name
Depends on what you mean by "use".

In any legal or formal circumstances, **absolutely no chance**. Your family
name will be 「ウエスト」 or 「ウェスト」 with a small 「ェ」.

<https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%8B%E3%82%A8%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88>

If you ever become a Japanese citizen, however, you will be permitted to
change your name from 「ウエスト」 to 「西」 if that is what you still desire then.

If you are just visiting Japan and want to use the family name 「西」 **among
your friends** while there, then basically no one would stop you from doing
that. **It would be understood as a kind of humor more than anything**. In
that case, naturally, your foreign resident card will **NOT** say your name is
「西」.
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"West" would usually be transcribed ウエスト or ウェスト (with the second _kana_ the
usual size or small).

I have seen people "translate" their surnames into Japanese, like

> Silver → 白金【シルバー】

and print them onto business cards, but together with their actual name and
with a transcription in _katakana_.

However, unless you become a Japanese citizen, you have no "Japanese name".
Your 外国人登録証明書 (Alien Registration Card) will contain your name in _rōmaji_
unless you can show that your legal name is written with _kanji_ , for example
if you are Chinese. (These _kanji_ need to belong to [this extensive
list](http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/topics/pdf/honbun.pdf).)

Moreover, if you are a mid-to-long-term resident and you can show that you are
being disadvantaged (e.g. discriminated against) because of your _rōmaji_
name, the Minister of Justice may approve of replacing the _rōmaji_ with
appropriate _kanji_ or _kana_.

>
> ただし，ローマ字により氏名を表記することにより中長期在留者が著しい不利益を被るおそれがあることその他の特別の事情があると法務大臣が認めるときは，ローマ字に代えて，当該漢字又は当該漢字及び仮名を使用した氏名を表記することができます。
>
> _Source:_ [法務省 入国管理局 (Immigration Bureau of Japan)](http://www.immi-
> moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/q-and-a_page2.html)

In both cases the burden of proof lies with you, so getting a Japanese name is
certainly not automatic.
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