Two forms of asking the name in Chinese

Dialogs

New words and expressions

Chinese characters

You can use two forms of asking the name in Chinese: common - when asking people younger then you or in your age and polite form when addressing someone older or someone who you should treat with honour when neccessary (boss, teacher)

In lesson 2 you learned personal pronoun 你 nĭ which means you. 你好 Ní hăo is a common used form of saying hello in Chinese - hi, hello. 您 Nín represents a polite form and means: Sir, Madamm. 您好 nín hăo means: Good morning Sir / Madamm.

The personal pronouns "ni" and "nin" do not distinguish gender of a person. It both means girl/women and boy/man.

Asking sombody`s name:

1. common form

你叫什么名字？

Ni jiao shenme mingzi?

What is your name?

2. polite form

您贵姓？

Nin gui xing?

May I ask your name please?

 

Answers:

1. common form

我叫彼得。

Wo jiao Bide.

My name is Peter.

2. polite form

我姓李，叫小龙。

Wo xing Li, jiao Xiaolong.

My surname is Li and my name is Xiaolong.

 

Notice:

In Chinese the surname always goes first, the name of a person follows the surname, ie:

Jia Zhangke - surname Jia, Zhangke name

Mao Zedong - surname Mao, Zedong name

1.

A: 你好！  B: 你好！ A: 你叫什么名字？  B: 我叫安娜，你呢？ A: 我叫彼得。 B: 再见！  A: 再见！

A: Ní hăo!  B: Ní hăo!  A: Ní jiào shénme míngzi?  B: Wŏ jiào Ān`nà, ní ne?  A: Wŏ jiào Bĭdé.  B: Zài jiàn!  A: Zài jiàn!

translation:

A: Hello!

B: Hello!

A: What is your name?

B: My name is Ann, and yours?

A: My name is Peter.

B: See you!

A: See you!

 

2.

A: 您好！ B: 您好！ A: 您贵姓？ B: 我姓李，叫小龙。您呢？ A: 我姓王，叫小李。 B: 再见！ A: 再见！

A: Nín hăo!  B: Nín hăo!  A: Nín guì xìng?  B: Wŏ xìng Lĭ, jiào Xiăolóng, nín ne?  A: Wŏ xìng Wáng, jiào Xiăolĭ.  B: Zài jiàn!  A: Zài jiàn!

translation:

A: Good morning Sir.

B: Good morning Sir.

A: My I ask your name please?

B: My surname is Li and my name is Xiaolong, and yours?

A: My surname is Wang and my name is Xiaoli.

B: Good bye!

A: Good bye!

 

你好 Ní hăo 你叫什么名字？ Ní jiào shénme míngzi 叫 jiào 什么 shénme 名字 míngzi 呢 ne 我 wŏ 您好 Nín hăo 您 nín 您贵姓 Nín guì xìng 贵 guì 姓 xìng 李 Lĭ 小龙 Xiăolóng 王 Wáng 小李 Xiăolĭ

hi, hello what is your name name, call (v.) what name (n.) particle placed at the end of an interrogative sentence I, me good morning Sir/Madamm you - honorificum may I ask your name please dear, noble, expensive surname chinese surname chinese name chinese surname chinese name