你叫什么名字？
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What's your name?
How to introduce yourself in Chinese
你好，我叫……
nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào...
Hello, my name is...
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
The phrase is 你好 (hello) + 我 (I) + 叫 (called) + your name. 叫 means 'to be called' and is used for names.
Variations and politeness
您好，我叫……
nín hǎo, wǒ jiào...
Hello (polite), my name is... — More polite because 您 (nín) is the formal 'you'.
我叫……
wǒ jiào...
My name is... — Shorter version without the greeting.
Mini dialogue
A
你好，我叫小明。
nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào xiǎo míng.
Hello, my name is Xiao Ming.
B
你好，小明，我叫小红。
nǐ hǎo, xiǎo míng, wǒ jiào xiǎo hóng.
Hello, Xiao Ming, my name is Xiao Hong.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When meeting someone for the first time.
- In both casual and formal introductions, though 您好 is more formal.
- When you want to tell someone your name politely.
Avoid when
- When you have already met the person; it would sound like you forgot.
- When using 我是 (wǒ shì) instead of 叫 (jiào) for names; 叫 is more natural for introductions.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'Hello, my name is...' in Chinese?
You say 'nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào...' followed by your name. For a more polite version, use 'nín hǎo, wǒ jiào...'.
How do you pronounce 'nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào'?
Pronounce it as 'nee how, waw jyaow'. The tone for 你 (nǐ) is third tone, 好 (hǎo) is third tone, 我 (wǒ) is third tone, and 叫 (jiào) is fourth tone.
When do you use 'nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào...'?
Use it when introducing yourself to someone for the first time. It is polite and standard in both casual and formal situations.
More phrases for this situation
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