你叫什么名字
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi
What's your name · trad. 你叫什麼名字
你叫什么名字 is the standard way to ask someone's name in Mandarin Chinese. It's appropriate for most everyday interactions, from meeting new friends to casual conversations.
What does 你叫什么名字 (nǐ jiào shénme míngzi) mean?
你叫什么名字 (nǐ jiào shénme míngzi) means “what's your name” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you call what name.”
When to use it
Neutral to casual. For a more polite or formal approach, especially with elders or in business settings, use 您叫什么名字 or 您贵姓, which specifically asks for their honorable surname. To reply, say 我叫 [your name].
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "nee jyao shuhn-muh ming-dzuh." The "zi" in 名字 is often pronounced with a very light, neutral tone.
Other ways to say it
- 您叫什么名字nín jiào shénme míngziwhat's your name (polite)
- 您贵姓nín guìxìngwhat is your honorable surname (very polite/formal)
- 你姓什么nǐ xìng shénmewhat's your surname (casual)
Examples
你好，你叫什么名字？
nǐ hǎo, nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
Hello, what's your name?
请问，您贵姓？
qǐngwèn, nín guìxìng?
Excuse me, what is your honorable surname?
我叫王明，你叫什么名字？
wǒ jiào Wáng Míng, nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
My name is Wang Ming, what's your name?
Pro tip: When asking for someone's full name, use 叫什么名字. If you only want to know their surname, you can use 你姓什么 (casual) or the very polite 您贵姓.
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