How to Say “What’s Your Name?” in Chinese | 你叫什么名字？(Pinyin + Polite Forms)

Learn the most natural ways to ask and answer “What’s your name?” in Chinese. We’ll cover casual vs. polite forms, the difference between 姓 (family name) and 名字 (given name), and smooth self-introductions. Perfect for HSK 1–2 and first conversations.

What you’ll learn

Core questions:
你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
你叫什么？ (casual)
请问您贵姓？ (polite, asks for surname)
您怎么称呼？ (polite: how should I address you?)

Answers:
我叫 + 名字 (Wǒ jiào…)
我姓 + 姓 (Wǒ xìng…)
我姓王，叫王明。

Extras:
你的中文名字是什么？/ 我没有中文名字。/ 你可以叫我…
Name order tip: 姓 comes first in Chinese (e.g., 王明).

Quick examples

你叫什么名字？ — 我叫李娜。
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? — Wǒ jiào Lǐ Nà.

请问您贵姓？ — 我姓陈。
Qǐngwèn nín guìxìng? — Wǒ xìng Chén.

您怎么称呼？ — 你可以叫我David。
Nín zěnme chēnghu? — Nǐ kěyǐ jiào wǒ David.

你的中文名字是什么？ — 我没有中文名字。
Nǐ de Zhōngwén míngzi shì shénme? — Wǒ méiyǒu Zhōngwén míngzi.

Suggested chapters (adjust to your video)

00:00 Intro
01:00 Casual: 你叫什么(名字)？
03:20 Polite forms: 您贵姓 / 怎么称呼
06:00 姓 vs 名字 vs 姓名
08:10 Model answers: 我叫… / 我姓…
10:00 Chinese name order & etiquette
12:00 Bonus: 中文名字 & 你可以叫我…
14:00 Mini dialogues & practice
15:30 Wrap-up

Who this is for

Beginners (HSK 1–2), travelers, and anyone practicing self-introductions.

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Hashtags

#Chinese #Mandarin #ChineseForBeginners #HSK1 #ChineseConversation #SelfIntroduction

Tags

what’s your name in Chinese, 你叫什么名字, 您贵姓, 怎么称呼, 我叫, 我姓, Chinese self introduction, beginner Chinese, HSK 1, Mandarin basics, Chinese name order, Chinese conversation