Common ions and the names of their compounds

Charges, Chinese and English names, older names and acids of 28 cations and 38 anions, each with an example compound worked out by charge balance — the table behind the name decoder and the ions-into-formulas widget.


cation	$\ce{H^+}$	1	氢离子	hydrogen	—	—	$\ce{HCl}$	hydrogen chloride
cation	$\ce{NH4^+}$	1	铵离子	ammonium	—	—	$\ce{NH4Cl}$	ammonium chloride
cation	$\ce{Li^+}$	1	锂离子	lithium	—	—	$\ce{LiCl}$	lithium chloride
cation	$\ce{Na^+}$	1	钠离子	sodium	—	—	$\ce{NaCl}$	sodium chloride
cation	$\ce{K^+}$	1	钾离子	potassium	—	—	$\ce{KCl}$	potassium chloride
cation	$\ce{Cs^+}$	1	铯离子	caesium	—	—	$\ce{CsCl}$	caesium chloride
cation	$\ce{Ag^+}$	1	银离子	silver	—	—	$\ce{AgCl}$	silver chloride
cation	$\ce{Mg^2+}$	2	镁离子	magnesium	—	—	$\ce{MgCl2}$	magnesium chloride
cation	$\ce{Ca^2+}$	2	钙离子	calcium	—	—	$\ce{CaCl2}$	calcium chloride
cation	$\ce{Sr^2+}$	2	锶离子	strontium	—	—	$\ce{SrCl2}$	strontium chloride
cation	$\ce{Ba^2+}$	2	钡离子	barium	—	—	$\ce{BaCl2}$	barium chloride
cation	$\ce{Zn^2+}$	2	锌离子	zinc	—	—	$\ce{ZnCl2}$	zinc chloride
cation	$\ce{Cd^2+}$	2	镉离子	cadmium	—	—	$\ce{CdCl2}$	cadmium chloride
cation	$\ce{Al^3+}$	3	铝离子	aluminium	—	—	$\ce{AlCl3}$	aluminium chloride
cation	$\ce{Fe^2+}$	2	亚铁离子	iron(II)	ferrous	—	$\ce{FeCl2}$	iron(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Fe^3+}$	3	铁离子	iron(III)	ferric	—	$\ce{FeCl3}$	iron(III) chloride
cation	$\ce{Cu^+}$	1	亚铜离子	copper(I)	cuprous	—	$\ce{CuCl}$	copper(I) chloride
cation	$\ce{Cu^2+}$	2	铜离子	copper(II)	cupric	—	$\ce{CuCl2}$	copper(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Sn^2+}$	2	亚锡离子	tin(II)	stannous	—	$\ce{SnCl2}$	tin(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Sn^4+}$	4	锡离子	tin(IV)	stannic	—	$\ce{SnCl4}$	tin(IV) chloride
cation	$\ce{Hg2^2+}$	2	亚汞离子	mercury(I)	mercurous	—	$\ce{Hg2Cl2}$	mercury(I) chloride
cation	$\ce{Hg^2+}$	2	汞离子	mercury(II)	mercuric	—	$\ce{HgCl2}$	mercury(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Cr^2+}$	2	亚铬离子	chromium(II)	chromous	—	$\ce{CrCl2}$	chromium(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Cr^3+}$	3	铬离子	chromium(III)	chromic	—	$\ce{CrCl3}$	chromium(III) chloride
cation	$\ce{Mn^2+}$	2	锰离子	manganese(II)	—	—	$\ce{MnCl2}$	manganese(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Co^2+}$	2	钴离子	cobalt(II)	—	—	$\ce{CoCl2}$	cobalt(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Ni^2+}$	2	镍离子	nickel(II)	—	—	$\ce{NiCl2}$	nickel(II) chloride
cation	$\ce{Pb^2+}$	2	铅离子	lead(II)	—	—	$\ce{PbCl2}$	lead(II) chloride
anion	$\ce{F^-}$	−1	氟离子	fluoride	—	hydrofluoric acid	$\ce{NaF}$	sodium fluoride
anion	$\ce{Cl^-}$	−1	氯离子	chloride	—	hydrochloric acid	$\ce{NaCl}$	sodium chloride
anion	$\ce{Br^-}$	−1	溴离子	bromide	—	hydrobromic acid	$\ce{NaBr}$	sodium bromide
anion	$\ce{I^-}$	−1	碘离子	iodide	—	hydroiodic acid	$\ce{NaI}$	sodium iodide
anion	$\ce{O^2-}$	−2	氧离子	oxide	—	—	$\ce{Na2O}$	sodium oxide
anion	$\ce{S^2-}$	−2	硫离子	sulfide	—	hydrosulfuric acid	$\ce{Na2S}$	sodium sulfide
anion	$\ce{N^3-}$	−3	氮离子	nitride	—	—	$\ce{Mg3N2}$	magnesium nitride
anion	$\ce{H^-}$	−1	氢负离子	hydride	—	—	$\ce{NaH}$	sodium hydride
anion	$\ce{OH^-}$	−1	氢氧根离子	hydroxide	—	—	$\ce{NaOH}$	sodium hydroxide
anion	$\ce{O2^2-}$	−2	过氧根离子	peroxide	—	—	$\ce{Na2O2}$	sodium peroxide
anion	$\ce{O2^-}$	−1	超氧根离子	superoxide	—	—	$\ce{KO2}$	potassium superoxide
anion	$\ce{CN^-}$	−1	氰根离子	cyanide	—	hydrocyanic acid	$\ce{KCN}$	potassium cyanide
anion	$\ce{SCN^-}$	−1	硫氰酸根离子	thiocyanate	—	thiocyanic acid	$\ce{KSCN}$	potassium thiocyanate
anion	$\ce{NO3^-}$	−1	硝酸根离子	nitrate	—	nitric acid	$\ce{KNO3}$	potassium nitrate
anion	$\ce{NO2^-}$	−1	亚硝酸根离子	nitrite	—	nitrous acid	$\ce{NaNO2}$	sodium nitrite
anion	$\ce{SO4^2-}$	−2	硫酸根离子	sulfate	—	sulfuric acid	$\ce{Na2SO4}$	sodium sulfate
anion	$\ce{SO3^2-}$	−2	亚硫酸根离子	sulfite	—	sulfurous acid	$\ce{Na2SO3}$	sodium sulfite
anion	$\ce{HSO4^-}$	−1	硫酸氢根离子	hydrogen sulfate	bisulfate	—	$\ce{NaHSO4}$	sodium hydrogen sulfate
anion	$\ce{HSO3^-}$	−1	亚硫酸氢根离子	hydrogen sulfite	bisulfite	—	$\ce{NaHSO3}$	sodium hydrogen sulfite
anion	$\ce{S2O3^2-}$	−2	硫代硫酸根离子	thiosulfate	—	thiosulfuric acid	$\ce{Na2S2O3}$	sodium thiosulfate
anion	$\ce{CO3^2-}$	−2	碳酸根离子	carbonate	—	carbonic acid	$\ce{Na2CO3}$	sodium carbonate
anion	$\ce{HCO3^-}$	−1	碳酸氢根离子	hydrogen carbonate	bicarbonate	—	$\ce{NaHCO3}$	sodium hydrogen carbonate
anion	$\ce{PO4^3-}$	−3	磷酸根离子	phosphate	—	phosphoric acid	$\ce{Na3PO4}$	sodium phosphate
anion	$\ce{HPO4^2-}$	−2	磷酸氢根离子	hydrogen phosphate	—	—	$\ce{Na2HPO4}$	sodium hydrogen phosphate
anion	$\ce{H2PO4^-}$	−1	磷酸二氢根离子	dihydrogen phosphate	—	—	$\ce{KH2PO4}$	potassium dihydrogen phosphate
anion	$\ce{ClO^-}$	−1	次氯酸根离子	hypochlorite	—	hypochlorous acid	$\ce{NaClO}$	sodium hypochlorite
anion	$\ce{ClO2^-}$	−1	亚氯酸根离子	chlorite	—	chlorous acid	$\ce{NaClO2}$	sodium chlorite
anion	$\ce{ClO3^-}$	−1	氯酸根离子	chlorate	—	chloric acid	$\ce{KClO3}$	potassium chlorate
anion	$\ce{ClO4^-}$	−1	高氯酸根离子	perchlorate	—	perchloric acid	$\ce{KClO4}$	potassium perchlorate
anion	$\ce{BrO3^-}$	−1	溴酸根离子	bromate	—	bromic acid	$\ce{KBrO3}$	potassium bromate
anion	$\ce{IO3^-}$	−1	碘酸根离子	iodate	—	iodic acid	$\ce{KIO3}$	potassium iodate
anion	$\ce{MnO4^-}$	−1	高锰酸根离子	permanganate	—	permanganic acid	$\ce{KMnO4}$	potassium permanganate
anion	$\ce{MnO4^2-}$	−2	锰酸根离子	manganate	—	—	$\ce{K2MnO4}$	potassium manganate
anion	$\ce{CrO4^2-}$	−2	铬酸根离子	chromate	—	chromic acid	$\ce{K2CrO4}$	potassium chromate
anion	$\ce{Cr2O7^2-}$	−2	重铬酸根离子	dichromate	—	dichromic acid	$\ce{K2Cr2O7}$	potassium dichromate
anion	$\ce{C2O4^2-}$	−2	草酸根离子	oxalate	—	oxalic acid	$\ce{Na2C2O4}$	sodium oxalate
anion	$\ce{CH3COO^-}$	−1	乙酸根离子	acetate	—	acetic acid	$\ce{NaCH3COO}$	sodium acetate
anion	$\ce{SiO3^2-}$	−2	硅酸根离子	silicate	—	silicic acid	$\ce{Na2SiO3}$	sodium silicate

Each example’s formula comes from charge balance and its name from the naming rules; anions are mostly paired with sodium, a few with the more familiar potassium or magnesium salt (K₂Cr₂O₇, Mg₃N₂). Metals with more than one common charge carry a Roman numeral in English; Chinese marks the lower of two common charges with its own prefix.

Sources

N. G. Connelly, T. Damhus, R. M. Hartshorn, A. T. Hutton (eds.), Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry — IUPAC Recommendations 2005, RSC Publishing (2005).
中国化学会，《无机化学命名原则》（1980），科学出版社（1982）[Chinese Chemical Society, Principles of Inorganic Chemical Nomenclature].

Used in these lessons

Naming ions and compounds