叫
jiào
Call
叫 (jiào) is a versatile verb in Mandarin Chinese that primarily means "to call out," "to shout," or "to be called" (a name). It's a fundamental word for addressing people or referring to one's name.
What does 叫 (jiào) mean?
叫 (jiào) means “call” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “call / shout / be called.”
When to use it
Neutral. When asking someone's name, you use 叫 (e.g., 你叫什么名字？). To make a phone call, the specific phrase is 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà). For a more emphatic "to shout" or "to yell," 喊 (hǎn) is often used.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “jee-OW.” It's a falling (fourth) tone, so the sound drops sharply from high to low.
Other ways to say it
- 打电话dǎ diànhuàto make a phone call
- 喊hǎnto shout / to yell
- 叫车jiào chēto call a car/taxi
Examples
你叫什么名字？
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What is your name? (Lit. What are you called?)
我叫他过来。
wǒ jiào tā guòlái.
I called him to come over.
我需要叫一辆出租车。
wǒ xūyào jiào yī liàng chūzūchē.
I need to call a taxi.
Pro tip: Remember that 叫 is used for "to be called" when referring to names, like "My name is..." (我叫...). For making a phone call, you must use 打电话.
Related phrases
阿姨 · Aunt宝贝 · Bae布兰登 · Brandon
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