你叫

Learning Chinese: How to Say "What is Your Name?" in Chinese

Chinese Characters: 你叫
Pinyin: nǐ jiào
Pronunciation: ni3 jiao4
English Translation: What is your name?

Usage:

"你叫 (nǐ jiào)" is the most common way to ask someone their name in Chinese. It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Example:

Chinese: 你叫什么名字？
Pinyin: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?
English: What is your name?

Variations:

There are a few variations of "你叫 (nǐ jiào)" that you may hear:

• 贵姓 (guì xìng)? A more formal way to ask someone their surname.
• 怎么称呼您 (zěnme chēnghu tā nín)? A polite way to ask someone their name, especially if you are meeting them for the first time.

Tips for Learning:

• Practice saying "你叫 (nǐ jiào)" out loud to improve your pronunciation.
• Listen to native Chinese speakers asking for someone's name to get a sense of the natural rhythm and intonation.
• Use "你叫 (nǐ jiào)" in your daily conversations to practice using it in context.

Additional Notes:

• When asking someone their name, it is considered polite to use the phrase "请问 (qǐngwèn)", which means "may I ask." For example, you could say "请问，你叫什么名字？ (qǐngwèn, nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?)"
• If you are meeting someone for the first time, it is customary to exchange names and surnames. Your surname is typically placed first, followed by your given name. For example, if your surname is Wang and your given name is Ming, you would say "我叫王明 (wǒ jiào Wáng Míng)."

Example Conversation:

Person A: 你叫什么名字？
Person B: 我叫李华。
Person A: 你好，李华。
Person B: 你好。

Translation:

Person A: What is your name?
Person B: My name is Li Hua.
Person A: Hello, Li Hua.
Person B: Hello.