你好，我叫茉莉。
nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào mò lì
The English phrase "hello, my name is jasmine" is translated into Chinese as 你好，我叫茉莉。 (nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào mò lì)
You may encounter the informal greeting 嘿 (héi), which is equivalent to "Hey!" and is used among friends.
What does it mean word for word?
The component 我叫 (wǒ jiào) literally means "I am called" or "I am named".
How do you pronounce it?
nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào mò lì
Did you know?
- While '你好' (nǐ hǎo) is the standard 'hello', in many parts of China, people traditionally greet one another by asking 'Have you eaten yet?' (你吃了吗? nǐ chī le ma?) instead of using a formal introduction.
- The word 叫 (jiào) used for 'called' also means 'to shout' or 'to cry' when used as a verb for animals. This creates a linguistic link between naming someone and calling out to them.
- The name 茉莉 (mò lì) refers to the jasmine flower, which is deeply associated with purity and grace in Chinese culture. Using a flower as a name is a common tradition for girls to evoke natural beauty.
Example conversation
Two students meeting for the first time at school.
- 梓涵 Zihan你好，我叫茉莉。Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Mòlì.Hello, my name is Jasmine.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你好，茉莉。我叫志强。Nǐ hǎo, Mòlì. Wǒ jiào Zhìqiáng.Hello, Jasmine. My name is Zhiqiang.
- 梓涵 Zihan志强，你是哪个班的？Zhìqiáng, nǐ shì nǎge bān de?Zhiqiang, which class are you in?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我在三班。Wǒ zài sān bān.I am in class three.
