'有名' (yǒu míng) literally means 'has reputation' — combining 有 (yǒu, 'to have') and 名 (míng, 'name' or 'fame'). It functions as an adjective meaning 'famous', 'well-known', or 'renowned'. Unlike standalone nouns like 名气 (míngqì, 'reputation'), 有名 always modifies a noun or follows a subject to describe its status. It’s commonly used in both formal and informal speech, especially when highlighting cultural, historical, or regional significance — for example, describing cities, landmarks, dishes, or people.

The phrase often appears after the subject ('X 有名') rather than before it ('有名的 X'), though the latter form exists with 的. In spoken Chinese, it’s frequently paired with degree words like 很 (hěn) or 非常 (fēicháng), as in '这个地方很有名' ('This place is very famous'). While not inherently positive, context usually implies favorable recognition — e.g., a restaurant may be famous for its quality, not its price.