Wǒ jiào
everyday
In pinyin the everyday way to say "my name is" in Chinese is Wǒ jiào, followed by your name. Wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng means "My name is Li Ming". It is also called Wǒ de míngzi shì and Wǒ xìng.
Meaning: introducing yourself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Note |
|---|---|
| Wǒ jiào | everyday |
| Wǒ de míngzi shì | neutral |
| Wǒ xìng | surname only |
Jiào means "to be called". It works with a full name or a given name, and it is what most people say when they introduce themselves.
Which one should you use?
Wǒ de míngzi shì means "my name is" more literally. Wǒ xìng gives only your surname, for example Wǒ xìng Wáng, "My surname is Wang".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese names the surname comes first and the given name second, so Li Ming is the family Li and the given name Ming.
Did you know?
- A polite way to ask someone's name is nín guìxìng, which literally asks about their "honorable surname".
Examples in context
- Wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng.My name is Li Ming.
- Wǒ de míngzi shì Wáng Fāng.My name is Wang Fang.
- Wǒ xìng Zhāng, jiào Zhāng Wěi.My surname is Zhang and my name is Zhang Wei.
Example conversation
Emma meets a new classmate named Hao on the first day of a Chinese class.
- EmmaNǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Emma.Hello, my name is Emma.
- HaoNǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Zhāng Hào.Hello, my name is Zhang Hao.
- EmmaHěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.Nice to meet you.
