Why You Want This Phrase in Your Pocket
When you meet someone new — a classmate, a barista, a fellow traveler — the very first thing you’ll want to know is: what do you call them? In Mandarin, the phrase 你叫什麼名字？(nǐ jiào shénme míng-zi?) does exactly that. It’s like a universal “So… what’s your name?”
Saying your own name in Chinese uses 我叫 (wǒ jiào …) — literally, “I’m called …” — which works smoothly whether you use your western name, a transliteration, or a Chinese name you picked up.
These phrases are among the first that every Chinese-learner should master — because they’re useful everywhere.
The Basic Phrases: What They Are & How To Use Them
你叫什麼名字？ (nǐ jiào shénme míng-zi?) — What’s your name? ChineseClass101+1
- 你 (nǐ) = you
- 叫 (jiào) = to be called / to call
- 什麼 (shénme) = what
- 名字 (míng-zi) = name
我叫 ___ 。 (wǒ jiào ___ ) — My name is ___. ChineseClass101+1
You can swap in any name you like — your own name, a Chinese-style name, or even a nickname.
There are a few more variations and alternatives, depending on context and politeness:
- 你叫什麼？ (nǐ jiào shénme?) — a shorter, more informal way to ask “What are you called?” digmandarin.com
- 你的名字是什麼？ (nǐ de míng-zi shì shénme?) — “What is your name?” Slightly more formal / neutral. digmandarin.com+1
- If you want to ask someone’s surname in a polite way you might hear: 您貴姓？ (nín guì xìng?) — “May I ask your honorable surname?” (Useful in formal situations, though less common among youth.) digmandarin.com+1
Example Dialogue
Here’s a simple “first-meeting” exchange you can practice — good for language apps, meet-ups, or walking around Taipei pretending you totally belong.
A: 你好。 (Nǐ hǎo.) — Hello.
B: 你好。你叫什麼名字？ (Nǐ hǎo. Nǐ jiào shénme míng-zi?) — Hello. What’s your name?
A: 我叫 Mike。 (Wǒ jiào Mike.) — My name is Mike.
B: 很高興認識你。 (Hěn gāoxìng rèn-shì nǐ.) — Nice to meet you.
You can easily swap “Mike” for any name — even your Chinese name if you have one.
A Few Useful Notes & Cultural Tips
- 叫 (jiào) is used like “to be called.” So “我叫李明” literally means “I am called Li Ming.” ChineseClass101+1
- 名字 (míng-zi) means name. When you ask “你叫什麼名字？” you’re literally asking “you are called what name?” Everyday Chinese+1
- Asking someone’s “surname only” is quite common in formal or older-generation contexts: 你姓什麼？ (nǐ xìng shénme?) — What’s your family name? 臺灣華語教育資源中心LMIT+1
- In more casual or modern settings (especially among young people or foreigners), simply “你叫什麼？” may be used.
How To Pronounce It (Pinyin + Tone Awareness)
- nǐ jiào shén-me míng-zi? — third tone + fourth tone + second tone + neutral + second + neutral.
- wǒ jiào ___ — third tone + fourth tone + name.
Use your normal name (romanized or Chinese) when filling in the blank.
When To Use What Variant
If you’re in a semi-formal or learning context (class, language app, meeting new people at a meetup), go with 你叫什麼名字？ + 我叫 ___ 。
If you just want to be casual (friends, classmates) you can shorten to 你叫什麼？
If you want to add politeness — especially when addressing older people or in more formal encounters — maybe ask surname with 你姓什麼？ or use a fuller question like 你的名字是什麼？
Quick Practice Lines
- 你叫什麼名字？ (nǐ jiào shénme míng-zi?) — What’s your name?
- 我叫 ___. (wǒ jiào ___ ) — My name is ___.
- 你叫什麼？ (nǐ jiào shénme?) — What are you called?
- 你的名字是什麼？ (nǐ de míng-zi shì shénme?) — What is your name?
- 你姓什麼？ (nǐ xìng shén-me?) — What’s your surname?
Final Yak Thought
Learning how to ask someone’s name — and tell your own — is like opening a door. Once you have that phrase down, you’re no longer a mute tourist. You’re a person. A person with a name. And with that name, you get to start real conversations.
So go ahead — try it out next time you meet someone new. Don’t overthink it. Just say: “你叫什麼名字？” and maybe, “我叫 ___ 。”
And maybe the next time you hear that question — the name you answer with won’t just be a word. It’ll be an invitation.