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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/zh-what-is-your-name

How do you ask 'What is your name?' in Mandarin Chinese?

Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? (你叫什么名字？)

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  1. Nǐ qù nǎr? (你去哪儿？)
  2. Nǐ hǎo ma? (你好吗？)
  3. Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? (你叫什么名字？) ✔

Why: Shénme means what and míngzi means name, so this is 'You are called what name?' Nǐ qù nǎr asks where you are going, and nǐ hǎo ma asks how you are.

Huh, didn't know that: Add qǐngwèn at the front to make the question extra polite.

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What is your name? Justin. Justin who? Justin time for Chinese class!
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References

Answer: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? (你叫什么名字？). Shénme means what and míngzi means name, so this is 'You are called what name?' Nǐ qù nǎr asks where you are going, and nǐ hǎo ma asks how you are.

  1. Peace Corps China, Chinese Basic Lessons for Invitees (Mandarin) files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/thepeoplesrepublicofchina/CN_Mandarin_Language_Lessons.pdf
    May I ask your name?
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. MDBG Chinese Dictionary (CC-CEDICT): 贵姓 www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=%E8%B4%B5%E5%A7%93
    (May I ask) your surname?
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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