我
wǒ
The Chinese word for "I" is 我 (wǒ). Wiktionary also lists 俺 (ǎn).
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | wǒ | |
| 俺 | ǎn | regional |
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 我 is the standard form, the term 本人 (běn rén) is a more formal way to say "I", frequently used in official documents or written texts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form 俺 (ǎn) is a regional variant used primarily in northern China and in certain rural dialects. In Cantonese, the form 我 (ngo5) is used to say "I" in both formal and informal situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 我 serves as both the subject ("I") and the object ("me") in a sentence. You can create the possessive forms "my" or "mine" by adding the particle 的 to 我, resulting in 我的.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ
Did you know?
- The character 我 was originally a pictogram of a three-bladed weapon or a trident-like polearm. Its modern meaning as 'I' is believed to have come from using the character for that tool to represent the sound of the word.
Examples in context
- 我想要出国。I want to go abroad.This sentence shows how to use 我 to express a desire.Tatoeba #394187 by GlossaMatik, translation #21938 by CK
- 我来自中国。I came from China.This sentence shows how to use 我 to state one's origin.Tatoeba #398937 by GlossaMatik, translation #398936 by FeuDRenais
- 我往右拐了。I turned right.This sentence shows how to use 我 to describe a physical action.Tatoeba #406244 by GlossaMatik, translation #258392 by CK
- Wǒ xiǎng qù zhōngguó lǚyóu. (我想去中国旅游。)I want to travel to China.
- Wǒ xiǎng qù chī diǎnxīn. (我想去吃点心。)I want to go and eat dim sum.
- Běn rén xìng wáng, míng jiào xiǎo míng. (本人姓王，名叫小明。)I am surnamed Wang, named Xiao Ming.
- Wǒ jīntiān yào qù kàn diànyǐng. (我今天要去看电影。)I am going to watch a movie today.
- Wǒ yǒu gè wèntí. (我有个问题。)I have a question.
- Zánmen míngtiān qù yóuyǒng ba! (咱们明天去游泳吧！)Let's go swimming tomorrow!
- Zánmen yīqǐ qù chī fàn ba! (咱们一起去吃饭吧！)Let's go eat together!
- 14471 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Xiaowen and Haoran are talking about their lunch plans.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我饿了，我们去吃饭吧。Wǒ è le, wǒmen qù chīfàn ba.I am hungry, let's go eat.
- 浩然 Haoran好主意，你想吃什么？Hǎo zhǔyì, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?Good idea, what do you want to eat?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想吃面条。Wǒ xiǎng chī miàntiáo.I want to eat noodles.
- 浩然 Haoran没问题，我知道一家店。Méi wèntí, wǒ zhīdào yī jiā diàn.No problem, I know a place.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 俺, 我, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
