Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 我叫…… | wǒ jiào … |
| 我的名字是…… | wǒ de míngzi shì … |
In Standard Mandarin, 我叫…… is the appropriate way to say 'My name is' and is the most common way to identify yourself in most casual or standard social situations. You can also use 我的名字是…… to mean the same thing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 我叫…… literally means 'I am called…', while 我的名字是…… literally means 'My name is…'.
Which one should you use?
我叫…… is more common and natural in spoken Chinese, whereas 我的名字是…… is more formal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
我叫…… is suitable for casual or standard social interactions. 我的名字是…… is more formal and is often used in written introductions or very formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, you can introduce yourself using Néih hóu! Ngóh haih…
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 我叫……, the verb 叫 (jiào) is a transitive verb and is followed directly by the name without needing a word for 'is'.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ jiào …
Did you know?
- The character 我 'I' is a pictograph that originally depicted a variety of weapons, symbolizing the 'self' as something to be defended.
- In many Chinese social contexts, especially among elders, providing only your name can be seen as too abrupt or even slightly rude. People often prefer to introduce themselves by their relationship to someone else or their profession first.
- In Chinese culture, the family name comes first, followed by the given name. If you say 我叫… followed by your name in the Western order, a native speaker may mistake your first name for your family name.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
