self introduction in chinese essay

Introduce Yourself in Chinese with Self-Introduction Speech Examples

How to introduce yourself in chinese.

It is not difficult to introduce yourself in Chinese language as they are fixed answers which you memorise about yourself. However, it is not that easy to be able to understand all the variations of questions asked. Therefore, in this article, you will also learn about various ways of questioning and response, so you know they mean the same thing and handle the Chinese self-introduction with ease.

For a start, I have prepared three articles below with audio on self-introduction speech examples, changing the variation of replies in Chinese for beginners when you introduce yourself in Mandarin. The questions and answers will revolve around: –

① Chinese Greetings and Pronouns ② Your Name and Surname ③ Your Age ④ Your Country and Nationality ⑤ Your Hobby and Interest ⑥ Your Relationship and Marital Status

It is always a good practice to read and listen in Mandarin to guess the meaning of the articles before looking at the English translation.

Chinese Self-Introduction Essay and Speech Samples

你们好！ 我叫芮。 其实，芮是我的姓氏。我是华人。我来自新加坡。不过，我现在居住安特卫普，比利时的一个美丽城市。我有一个英俊的比利时男友。我会说英语、华语、广东话、法语和荷兰语。现在，我和你们一样，都在学习语言。我每天要去学校上荷兰语课。

平时，在业余时间，我写博客和上网查询资料。在周末，我喜欢和我的男朋友一起骑自行车，拍照，购物和吃饭。 我最喜欢去餐馆吃中餐。我的最爱是旅行。我去过很多国家。

那你呢？请你自我介绍，告诉我平时你喜欢做些什么？请留言。

Hāi! Dú zhě men,

Nǐ men hǎo!  Wǒ jiào Ruì. Qí shí, Ruì shì wǒ de xìng shì. Wǒ shì huá rén. Wǒ lái zì xīn jiā pō. Bù guò, wǒ xiàn zài jū zhù ān tè wèi pǔ, bǐ lì shí de yī gè měi lì chéng shì. Wǒ yǒu yīgè yīng jùn de bǐ lì shí nán yǒu. Wǒ huì shuō yīng yǔ, huá yǔ, guǎng dōng huà, fǎ yǔ hé hé lán yǔ.  Xiàn zài, wǒ hé nǐ men yī yàng, dōu zài xué xí yǔ yán. Wǒ měi tiān yào qù xué xiào shàng hé lán yǔ kè.

Píng shí, zài yè yú shí jiān, wǒ xiě bó kè hé shàng wǎng chá xún zī liào. Zài zhōu mò, wǒ xǐ huān hé wǒ de nán péng yǒu yī qǐ qí zì xíng chē, pāi zhào, gòu wù hé chī fàn. Wǒ zuì xǐ huān qù cān guǎn chī zhōng cān. Wǒ de zuì ài shì lǚ xíng. Wǒ qù guò hěn duō guó jiā.

Nà nǐ ne? Qǐng nǐ zì wǒ jiè shào, gào sù wǒ píng shí nǐ xǐ huān zuò xiē shén me? Qǐng liú yán.

Hi Readers, 

How are you? I am called Rui. In fact, Rui is my surname. I am a Chinese. I come from Singapore. However, I am now living in Antwerp, a beautiful city in Belgium. I have a handsome Belgian boyfriend. I can speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, and Dutch.

Now, I am like you, learning a language too. Every day, I go to school for my Dutch class. Usually, during my spare time, I blog and surf the internet for information. During the weekend, I like to cycle with my boyfriend, take photographs, shopping and eating. I also like going to restaurants to eat Chinese food. My favourite is travelling. I have been to many countries.

How about you? Please introduce yourself. Tell me what do you usually like to do? Please leave a message.

我的名字是彼得。 我今年27岁。 我从美国来的。 我还单身，也没有女朋友。 我会说英语和一点点西班牙语。我也在学习汉语。可是，我的中文说的不太好，还可以在进步。

我想去中国旅行。我对中国的文化和语言很感兴趣。我希望找一位中国女友。我可以向她学习中文。我也能教她英语。我很好动。平时，我喜欢做运动, 例如跑步和游泳。

Hāi! Nín hǎo!

Wǒ de míng zì shì Bǐ Dé. Wǒ jīn nián 27 suì. Wǒ cóng měi guó lái de. Wǒ hái dān shēn, yě méi yǒu nǚ péng yǒu. Wǒ huì shuō yīng yǔ hé yī diǎn diǎn xī bān yá yǔ. Wǒ yě zài xué xí hàn yǔ. Kěs hì, wǒ de zhōng wén shuō de bù tài hǎo, hái kěyǐ zài jìn bù.

Wǒ xiǎng qù zhōng guó lǚ xíng. Wǒ duì zhōng guó de wén huà hé yǔ yán hěn gǎn xìng qù. Wǒ xī wàng zhǎo yī wèi zhōng guó nǚ yǒu. Wǒ kě yǐ xiàng tā xué xí zhōng wén. Wǒ yě néng jiào tā yīngyǔ. Wǒ hěn hào dòng. Píng shí, wǒ xǐ huān zuò yùn dòng, lì rú pǎo bù hé yóu yǒng.

My name is Peter. I am 27 years old this year. I come from the United States. I am still single and also do not have a girlfriend. I speak English and some Spanish. Now, I am also learning Chinese. However, I do not speak Mandarin so well. It can still be improved.

I wish to travel to China. I am very interested in Chinese culture and language. I hope to find a Chinese girlfriend. I can learn Chinese from her. I can teach her English. I am very active. Usually, I like to exercise such as jogging and swimming.

我是爱丽丝。大家都叫我丝丝。我是加拿大人。十年前，我从加拿大搬迁到台湾工作。我学了五年的中文，现在能说一口流利的华语。我现年四十岁。 我已婚，嫁给了一位台湾人。我有两个孩子，一个儿子和一个女儿。

我的嗜好是烹饪、阅读、听音乐和教书。我是一名教师。 我会说流利的英语、华语、 法语和一点点葡萄牙语。我不太喜欢做运动。不过，我很喜欢旅行，到处走走。

Hāi! Nǐ hǎo! 

Wǒ shì Ài Lì Sī. Dà jiā dōu jiào wǒ Sī Sī. Wǒ shì jiā ná dà rén. Shí nián qián, wǒ cóng jiā ná dà bān qiān dào tái wān gōng zuò. Wǒ xué le wǔ nián de zhōng wén, xiàn zài néng shuō yī kǒu liú lì de huá yǔ. Wǒ xiàn nián sì shí suì. Wǒ yǐ hūn, jià gěi le yī wèi tái wān rén. Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè há izi, yīgè er zi hé yī gè nǚ’ér.

Wǒ de shì hào shì pēng rèn, yuè dú, tīng yīn yuè hé jiāo shū. Wǒ shì yī míng jiào shī. Wǒ huì shuō liú lì de yīng yǔ, huá yǔ, fǎ yǔ hé yī diǎn diǎn pú táo yá yǔ. Wǒ bù tài xǐ huān zuò yùn dòng. Bù guò, wǒ hěn xǐ huān lǚ xíng, dào chù zǒu zǒu.

Hello, my name is Alice. Everyone call me Si Si. I’m a Canadian. Ten years ago, I relocated from Canada to work in Taiwan. I have studied Chinese for five years. Now, I speak Mandarin fluently. This year, I am 40 years old. I am married to a Taiwanese. I have two children, a son and a daughter.

My hobby is cooking, reading, listening to music and teaching. I am a teacher. I speak fluent English, Mandarin, French and a little bit of Portuguese. I do not like so much to do sports. However, I enjoy travelling and walk around.

① Chinese Greetings and Pronouns

How to say “hello” in chinese.

For the Chinese, it is common to greet in person with  嗨！你好! It has a similar connotation as “Hello, how are you?” but not a question asked like 你好吗？ to get a response. The Chinese greeting means “ You are fine! ” Since the tone of the sentence is an exclamation mark, the other party is not expected to give a reply to 你好!

The pronouns used in the three self-introduction speech in Chinese is: –

• 读者们  |    dú zhě men |  Readers
• 你们 | nǐ men | You (Plural)
• 您 |   nín | You (Formal address of someone of a higher authority, a stranger or out of courtesy)
• 你 |   nǐ | You (Singular. Informal way and most commonly used to address among friends and people)

Whenever you see the word 们 | mén , with a pronoun, it always refers to a plural form of a pronoun. You can virtually place the Chinese plural word 们 behind any nouns, but usually for humans and animals.

② What is Your Name? Introduce Yourself in Chinese

The first sentence that most people learn is likely “What is your name?”. In a more formal setting, you can be asked to introduce yourself instead of someone asking you to say your name. Both sentences can be applied at the same time too.

How to Say “What is Your Name” in Chinese?

What is your name? Please introduce yourself OR Please self-introduced.

你叫什么名字? 请介绍一下你自己。 ( 或者 | or)  请自我介绍。

Nǐ jiào shén me míng zì? Qǐng jiè shào yī xià nǐ zì jǐ. (huò zhě) Qǐng zì wǒ jiè shào.

How to Say “What is Your Surname?” in Chinese? – Formal

Here, you can see the formal pronoun 您 | you being used asking for only the surname (family name) instead of the person’s name. The person asking for only the family name wants to address the other party as Mr, Mrs or Miss + Surname.

One example is a shop assistant serving his customer. The Chinese find it more respectful to call a person by the surname when they do not know him well or when the status is higher. However, the person replying back do not need to use 您 and may use  你 instead.

I presume that if you are a foreigner especially a Caucasian, the Chinese would not ask you this question. Next time, you can also ask  您贵姓？ to Chinese people if you meet them for the first time.

What is your surname? (Polite)

您贵姓？ Nín guì xìng?

My surname is Li. How about you?

我姓李。那你呢？ Wǒ xìng Lǐ. Nà nǐ ne?

Hi, Mr Lee. My surname is Rui. Pleased to meet you! / It is an honour to meet you!

李先生，您好。我姓芮。幸会，幸会！ Lǐ xiān shēng, nǐn hǎo. Wǒ xìng Ruì. Xìng huì, xìng huì!

How to Say “Who Are You” in Chinese?

Asking someone “Who are you?” is an abrupt and less friendly way when asking for a self-introduction. However, it has to depend on the tone used and the situation. 你是谁? can have an implied meaning of curiosity, uncertainty, suspicion or fear.

Example – You went to your friend’s house to look for her. She was not at home. The mother opened the house and saw you. She asked，“ 你是谁呀? ” Then, you have to introduce yourself in Mandarin.

Who are you?

你是谁（呀)? Nǐ shì shéi (ya)?

How to Say “My Name is … ” in Chinese?

There are three ways that you can introduce yourself with “My name is ___”.

a) I am called Rui. b) My name is Peter. c) I am Alice. Everyone calls me Si Si (nickname). You can call me Alicia or Si Si.

a) 我叫芮。 b) 我的名字是彼得。 c) 我是爱丽丝。大家都叫我丝丝。你可以叫我爱丽丝或者是丝丝。

a) Wǒ jiào Ruì. b) Wǒ de míng zì shì Bǐ dé. c) Wǒ shì Ài Lì Sī. Dà jiā dōu jiào wǒ sī sī. Nǐ kě yǐ jiào wǒ Ài Lì Sī huò zhě shì Sī Sī.

③ How Old Are You?

The first two questions are common ways to ask someone their age. You can refer to the Chinese numbers of your age.

How to Say “What is Your Age” in Chinese?

What is your age?

a) 你今年几岁了？(或者 | or)  今年你几岁了？ b) 你今年多少岁了？

a) Nǐ jīn nián jǐ suì le? (huò zhě) Jīn nián nǐ jǐ suì le? b) Nǐ jīn nián duō shǎo suì le?

How to Say “How Old are You” in Chinese?

To ask someone’s age, “How OLD” in Chinese, is not a direct translation of the English word “old”. The literal translation of “How old” would be “ 多老 “. “老” means aged, senior. Please do not ask someone “ 你多老? ” because the Chinese will never ask a person’s age this way. It is quite offensive to use the Chinese word 老 | lǎo when talking to someone.

Instead, we use the phrase “how big – 多大 ” to ask someone’s age. Note that the phrase “ 多大 ” can have an ambiguous meaning. It can directly refer to the size of the object that you are discussing and not about age. The preferred sentence is still 你今年几岁了？ when meeting someone for the first time.

How old are you?

a) 你多大年纪？ b) 你多大年龄? c) 你多大了?

a) Nǐ duō dà nián jì?  b) Nǐ duō dà nián líng? c) Nǐ duō dà le?

How to Say “How old are you” in a Formal Way?

However, it is considered abrupt and rude to ask a senior, elderly or someone respectable on their age with the sentence construction above. In a formal situation or writing, we ask people on their age with 您今年贵庚? It is more polite asking when you hold high regard for someone.

How old are you? (Formal)

您今年贵庚? Nín jīn nián guì gēng?

How to Say “Your Age” in Chinese?

It is easy to say your age in Chinese. There are not many variations. You only have to know the Chinese numbers so you can tell your age to others.

I am 35 years old this year.

我今年35岁。 Wǒ jīn nián sān shí wǔ suì.

Pardon! My Age is Confidential!

Women are more reserved and sensitive when it comes to divulging their age especially Chinese women. Looks matter to many of them and they care about how people look at them.

Many of them also spend a lot of money, time and effort to maintain their youth. They hope to give a lasting impression of looking young forever.

Therefore, if you do not know a Chinese woman long enough, refrain from asking her age as you never know how she feels about telling it to you. Maybe she is fine with the question. Or, perhaps she does not like it and would not say it frankly.

Sorry, my age is a secret. Woman‘s age is always confidential.

不好意思，我的年龄是秘密。 女人的年龄是保密的。 Bù hǎo yì si, wǒ de nián líng shì mì mì. Nǚrén de nián líng shì bǎo mì de.

④ Where Are You From?

When someone asks you “where are you from”, you can tell them either your country of origin or your nationality. It is not necessary to say both unless you have a different nationality than that of the country that you live.

How to Say ” Where are you from” in Chinese?

Where are you from? 

你从哪里来？(或者 | or) 你来自哪里？ Nǐ cóng nǎ lǐ lái? (huò zhě) Nǐ lái zì nǎ lǐ?

How to Say “Which country are you from” in Chinese?

Which country are you from?

你来自什么国家?  (或者 | or) 你从什么国家来的？ Nǐ lái zì shén me guó jiā? (huò zhě) Nǐ cóng shén me guó jiā lái de?

How to Say “What is Your Nationality” in Chinese?

How to say Nationality  国籍 | Guó jí in Chinese? Most of the time, you use the ｛name of the country + 人 ｜people｝to derive the nationality.

Which country are you from? OR Who are you?

a) 你是什么国家的人? (或者 | or) 你是什么人？ b) 你是哪里人?

a) Nǐ lái zì shén me guó jiā?  (huò zhě) Nǐ cóng shén me guó jiā lái de? b) Nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén?

How to Say “Do You Come from (Country)” or “Are You (Nationality)” in Chinese?

Do you come from America? Are you an American?

你从美国来的吗？你是美国人吗？ Nǐ cóng měi guó lái de ma? Nǐ shì měi guó rén ma?

How to Say “Your Country and Nationality” in Chinese?

I am American, from California.

我是美国人，来自加州。 Wǒ shì měi guó rén, lái zì jiā zhōu.

I come from Germany (or) I am from Germany (Berlin).

我从德国来  (或者 | or) 我来自德国(柏林)。 Wǒ cóng dé guó lái (huò zhě) wǒ lái zì dé guó (bó lín).

I come from Italy but I am a Turk.

我来自意大利，但我是土耳其人。 Wǒ lái zì yì dà lì, dàn wǒ shì tǔ’ěr qí rén.

I am not Dutch. I am French.

我不是荷兰人。我是法国人。 Wǒ bù shì hé lán rén. Wǒ shì fà guó rén.

I do not come from England. I am Australian.

我不是从英国来的。我是澳大利亚人。 Wǒ bù shì cóng yīng guó lái de. Wǒ shì ào dà lì yǎ rén.

⑤ What Do You Like to Do? Hobby and Interest

The questions below are all referring to the same things. That is your hobbies and interests. Sometimes, the word 平时 ｜ píng shí is added and means ‘usually’. I will prepare a list of activities about hobbies and interests in the near future so you can make references to what you like to do.

How to Say “What Do You Like to Do” in Chinese?

What do you like to do?

你喜欢做(些)什么？ Nǐ xǐ huān zuò (xiē) shén me?

I like jogging and swimming.

我喜欢跑步和游泳。 Wǒ xǐ huān pǎo bù hé yóu yǒng.

How to Say “What is Your Interest” in Chinese?

What is your interest?

你的兴趣是什么？ Nǐ de xìng qù shì shén me?

My interest is surfing the net and shopping.

我的兴趣是上网和逛街。 Wǒ de xìngqù shì shàng wǎng hé guàng jiē.

How to Say “What is Your Hobby” in Chinese?

What is your hobby?

你的嗜好是什么 你的爱好是什么?

Nǐ de shì hào shì shén me? Nǐ de ài hào shì shén me?

My hobby is reading, listing to music and watching movies.

我的嗜好是。。。阅读、听音乐和看电影。 Wǒ de shì hào shì yuè dú, tīng yīn yuè hé kàn diàn yǐng.

⑥ What is Your Marital Status?

Western men looking for a Chinese girlfriend would always be happy to declare that he is single and available. He also wants to know whether they are still single and available or married. It is just an illustration and applies to anyone who wants to say about their relationship status.

How to Say “What is Your Marital Status” or “Relationship Status” in Chinese?

To be honest, I have never had anyone asked me about my marital status 你的婚姻状况是什么? except when filling up forms because it sounds too formal. Many would just ask me about my relationship status “Are you married?” or “Do you have a boyfriend?”

It is always good to know the Chinese phrase ‘marital status’ for administration purpose and the different status as part of introducing yourself in Chinese to others.

What is your Marital Status?

你的婚姻状况是什么？ Nǐ de hūn yīn zhuàng kuàng shì shén me?

How to Say “Are You Single” in Chinese?

Most importantly, people want to know whether you are single or married.

Are you single? OR Are you still single?

你单身吗？( 或者 | or)  你还单身吗？ Nǐ dān shēn ma? (huò zhě) Nǐ hái dān shēn ma?

How to Say “Do You Have a Boyfriend” in Chinese?

Do you have a boyfriend?

你有男朋友吗？ Nǐ yǒu nán péng yǒu ma?

Are you seeing anybody? Do you have someone in mind?

你有对象吗？ Nǐ yǒu duì xiàng ma?

How to Say “Are You Married” in Chinese?

Are you married?

你结婚了吗？ Nǐ jié hūn le ma?

How to Say “I am Single” in Chinese?

I am single and have no girlfriend.

我单身, 也没有女朋友。 Wǒ dān shēn, yě méi yǒu nǚ péng yǒu.

I am still single but I have a boyfriend.

我还单身, 但是我有一个男朋友。 Wǒ hái dān shēn, dàn shì wǒ yǒu yī gè nán péng yǒu.

I am not married.

我未婚 ( 或者 | or) 我还没结婚。 Wǒ wèi hūn (huò zhě) Wǒ hái méi jié hūn.

How to Say “Got Engaged, Fiance and Fiancee” in Chinese?

I am engaged. He is my fiance. She is my fiancee.

我订婚了。 他是我的未婚夫。 她是我的未婚妻。

Wǒ dìng hūn le. Tā shì wǒ de wèi hūn fū. Tā shì wǒ de wèi hūn qī.

How to Say “I am Married” in Chinese?

I am married.

我已婚 (或者 | or) 我结婚了。 Wǒ yǐ hūn (huò zhě) Wǒ jié hūn le.

How to Say “I am Divorced or a Divorcee” in Chinese?

I am divorced. I am a divorcee.

我离婚了。 我是离婚者。 Wǒ lí hūn le. Wǒ shì lí hūn zhě.

How to Say “I am Separated” in Chinese?

I am in the midst of a separation.

我在分居状态中。 Wǒ zài fēn jū zhuàng tài zhōng.

How to Say “Widow” and “Widower” in Chinese?

For widows and widowers, it is not necessary to mention that. The Chinese might find it awkward to reply back. Just say that you are still single if you do not want to be too frank. After all, the Chinese are usually reserved people if you do not know them well and would not go too deep into such a topic.

I would think that not many people would say upfront that “I am a widow or widower” as it is somewhat private to use as a self-introduction in Chinese. Nonetheless, the Chinese sentences below are for information.

I am a widow. My husband passed away two years ago.

我是个寡妇。我的丈夫2年前去世了。 Wǒ shì gè guǎ fù. Wǒ de zhàng fū liǎng nián qián qù shì le.

I am a widower. My wife recently passed away due to sickness.

我是个鳏夫。我的妻子不久前病世了。 Wǒ shì gè guān fū. Wǒ de qī zi bù jiǔ qián bìng shì le.

Your Turn to Introduce Yourself in Chinese

So, now is your turn. Leave a reply to me in Chinese (or English) and tell us about yourself. 请你告诉我，平时你喜欢做些什么呢？ Take it as a practice and show us what you have learnt. I will reply back to you 🙂

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my name is haleema sadia .im from india .im 18 yrs old.i love chinese culture and languagei started studying chinese from 2 months.i want to visit china as soon as possible.

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How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese: All You Need to Know

Learning how to introduce yourself in Chinese is definitely the very first skill that you’ll need in order to make a great first impression to win over new Chinese friends .

Sure, if you’ve ever done a Chinese language course, you’ve probably spent a considerable amount of time learning how to introduce yourself in Chinese. But if you were to meet a Chinese for the first time at this very moment, would you be prepared to speak about yourself in a natural, convincing way? Probably not.

Let’s face it. You have to deal with awkwardness, nervousness, and shyness. Not to mention that the pressure feels much higher when you’re supposed to introduce yourself in a foreign language like Chinese. But fear not! This article will help you get off to a good start with your new Chinese friends, associates, and acquaintances by hitting all the introduction marks and coming up with neat sentences for your very first Chinese self-introduction.

Table of Contents

How to introduce yourself in chinese – an overview.

In Chinese, a self-introduction is called 自我介绍 (zìwǒ jièshào) . In theory, introducing yourself in Chinese should be quite simple as it’s not too different from how you would introduce yourself in any other language: you start with hello, say your name, and then tell people a little bit about yourself.

In practice, however, there are certain cultural differences and unique concepts you need to be aware of when introducing yourself in Chinese. Since you only get one shot at making a first impression, it’s important to learn how to do it right.

We’ll start by teaching you the three-piece basic Chinese self-introduction, then cultural subtleties, and finally a ton of extra introductory phrases you can use to talk about yourself when you first meet a Chinese speaker, whether the encounter is social, educational, or strictly business. These simple but powerful phrases will boost your Chinese-speaking skills and give you confidence in your early Chinese conversations. 

So, read on to learn all the essential steps to a perfect Chinese self-introduction.  

Basic Self-introduction  in Chinese

Chinese introductions are pretty straightforward on a basic level, so keep it simple: smile, extend a hand, and respond appropriately to the person you’re meeting or the one you’re being introduced to.

Here’s the 3-step Chinese introduction method that will get you through most situations. You can learn it right away.

1. Start with a Greeting – “Hello” in Chinese

First thing first: greetings. They are how almost any conversation in Chinese will start.

This is true – whether you’re meeting a Chinese person for the first or the hundredth time – you’ll want to use an appropriate greeting to start off the conversation on the right foot!

你好 (Nǐ hǎo)

A basic, middle-of-the-road greeting in Chinese is  你好 (Nǐ hǎo) . 你 (nǐ) means “you”, and 好 (hǎo) means “good”, so this expression literally translates to “you good”. Both of the syllables in this word should be pronounced using the third tones, with the first one slightly faster than the latter. You can use this well-wish at any time of the day, and it’s almost as universal as the English “hi” or “hello.”

If you don’t know how to read Pinyin (the standard Romanization of Chinese) yet, You can read our guide here to learn the basics of Pinyin .

您好 (Nín  hǎo )

A more formal version of “hello” in Chinese is 您好 (Nín hǎo) . When respect is called for, replace the 你 (nǐ) – “you” in 你好 (Nǐ hǎo) with its honorific form 您 (nín) to help you sound humble and polite. (This polite form is particularly common in Beijing)

Now, before discussing other essential phrases, it’ll be helpful to know the basic rule of thumb when to use 您 (nín) over 你 (nǐ) in Chinese .

• When talking to  family, friends, or colleagues , you’re expected to use the informal 你 (nǐ). And in casual social situations, it’s perfectly acceptable to use 你 (nǐ) right away to address people near your age – even if they are strangers .
• When you’re introducing yourself to someone who’s older or has higher social status than you (e.g. teacher, manager, officer), use the honorific form of “you” instead and say 您 (nín). You also need to use the formal form of address with people you’re in a professional relationship with , such as your business partners, clients, or customers.
• When you’re in doubt, start with the honorific form – 您 (nín) and don’t take the initiative to break the relationship out of 您 (nín). You can switch to 你 (nǐ) when the other person tells you to address him/her otherwise.

And don’t worry, Chinese people are aware that the cultural nuance could be quite tricky for foreigners, so they always accept the use of 你 (nǐ) with no grudges!

大家好 (Dà jiā hǎo )

Both 你 (nǐ) and 您 (nín) are singular only – they can’t be used to address more than one person.

If you’re greeting a group of people – it doesn’t matter what your relationship is – say 大家好 (Dàjiā hǎo) . This is a polite Chinese equivalent of “hello everyone” (literally, “everyone good”).

Time word + 好 ( hǎo )

You could also choose your greeting according to the time . Though less common, it’s totally fine to replace the fitting pronouns with a time word depending on the time of the day before the word 好 (hǎo).

For instance, you may say 早上好 (Zǎoshang hǎo )  – “morning good” for the morning, 下午好 (Xiàwǔ hǎo )  – “afternoon good” for the afternoon and 晚上好 (Wǎnshang hǎo )  – “evening good” for the evening. You could also say 晚安 ( Wǎn’ān )  – “evening peace”, but that’s generally used to say goodbye when it’s late at night or when you’re heading to bed.

Lastly, if you’re talking to someone on the phone, answer or greet them with 喂 (Wèi) – “hello”. In other contexts, however, 喂 (Wèi) is a pretty rude way of getting people’s attention.

To learn about all the ways you can greet people in Chinese, check out our guide to  Saying “Hello” in Chinese: 21 Chinese Greetings to Sound like a Native Speaker .

2. Introduce Your Name – “My name is …” in Chinese

While you might not want to further your conversations with street vendors or restaurant waiters, meeting a local in a cafe or a fellow guest in your hotel is a great place to make a Chinese friend.

“What’s your name?”  is the first question you can expect to hear when meeting someone for the first time. There are several ways to ask it in Chinese.

The most common question you’ll get is 你叫什么？ (Nǐ jiào shénme) . This translates to “You are called what?” and is considered rather informal.

A slightly more formal version of this question is 你叫什么名字？( Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi )  – “You are called what name?”. Alternatively, they’ll ask  你的名字叫什么？(Nǐ de míngzi jiào shénme)  – “Your name is called what?”.

If you hear any of these questions, it means the person wants to know your name – 名字 (míngzi), although you can’t really be sure if the person wants to know your full name or just your first name.

我叫… (Wǒ jiào …)

The typical way to answer “What’s your name” in Chinese is to begin your sentence with 我叫… (Wǒ jiào …)  – “I am called…” and then say your name.  It’s fine to answer with either your full name or your first name.

In return, it’s always polite to ask for the other person’s name. You could repeat the question or simply ask 你呢？(nǐ ne)  – “and you?” for informal situations or 您呢？(nín ne)  – “and you?” for formal situations after you’ve introduced your name. This is a quick way to return the question that you’ve just been asked. (Read more about “ bounce-back questions ”)

我的名字叫… (Wǒ de míngzi jiào …)

Once you’re feeling confident, you may expand the sentence a bit. To do so, simply replace the 我 (wǒ) – “I” in 我叫… (Wǒ jiào …) with the phrase 我的名字 (wǒ de míngzi)  – “my name”. This adds a formal element to your name introduction.

And again, you have the option to include your full name or just your first name in the answer, depending on the formality of the meeting.

我是… (Wǒ shì …)

You could also say  我是   (Wǒ shì)  and then state your name in response to “What’s your name?” in Chinese. 是 (shì) is the verb “to be”, so it’s like saying “I am…” in English. Although this method may be a slightly less common way of introducing yourself in Chinese, it’s still perfectly acceptable and is easier to learn.

我的名字是… (Wǒ de míngzi shì …)

The last method may be the most straightforward way of introducing your name for those who speak English as a first language: You can say 我的名字是… (Wǒ de míngzi shì …)  followed by your name. This is the exact equivalent to the English “My name is…”.

When answering “What’s your name?” or when you’re the one initiating the conversation, you can introduce yourself in Chinese by using any of the four expressions above. And whichever expression you use, don’t be afraid to sound silly. You’ll be understood by following our directions, and in nearly any Chinese-speaking area even the feeblest attempts to speak Chinese will be appreciated!

Your Name in Chinese Most Chinese people will have a hard time pronouncing a foreign name. If you haven’t picked a Chinese name yet, follow our guide to give yourself a Chinese-sounding name, or you can transliterate your name into Chinese to help them pronounce and remember your name better. For instance, instead of introducing yourself as “Elijah”, you could ask them to call you 伊利亚 (Yī lì yà). Read our full guide to learn how to say your name in Chinese .

我姓… (Wǒ  xìng  …)

Now, here’s an interesting fact:

Chinese people generally don’t refer to each other by their first name unless they’re close. To address those who they don’t know well or in a hierarchically higher position, the person’s family name or job title is often used. For instance,

• 李先生 (Lǐ xiānsheng) – Mr Li
• 张经理 (Zhāng jīnglǐ) – Manager Zhang
• 王老师 (Wáng lǎoshī) – Teacher Wang

Admittedly, you’ll be less likely to get asked about your family name being a foreigner, if it does come up, however, someone may ask 您贵姓？(Nín guì xìng)  – “(What’s) your noble family name?”, or in informal contexts:  你姓什么？(Nǐ xìng shénme)  – “You’re surnamed what?”. This means the speaker wants to learn your last name – 姓 (xìng), specifically.

To respond to these questions, begin your answer with 我姓… (Wǒ xìng …)  – “My surname is…” (literally, “I am surnamed”), then state your last name.

3. Express Pleasure to Meet Them – “Nice to meet you” in Chinese

Once you’ve exchanged your names info and shaken hands, it’s a good idea to follow it up with “nice to meet you”. The most universal way to express pleasure upon meeting someone  in Chinese is to say 很高兴认识你 (H ěn gāoxìng rènsh i  nǐ ) .

In this expression, 很 (hěn) means “very”, 高兴 (gāoxìng) means “glad”, and 认识 (rènshi) means “to know or to be acquainted with someone”. So the sentence translates to “Very glad (to) know you” or something similar to “Very glad (to) make your acquaintance”.

Watch out for the pronoun use here. To say “nice to meet you” to a senior person or someone important, switch to the honorific pronoun 您 (nín) and say 很高兴认识您 (H ěn gāoxìng rènsh i  nín ) . And when you’re addressing a group of people – 很高兴认识大家 (H ěn gāoxìng rènshi d àjiā ) .  

If someone says “glad to meet you” ahead of you, you can simply respond 我也是 (wǒ yě shì)  – “I am (glad) too” (literally, “I also am”) to indicate that you’re pleased to meet them too.

Of course, there are a handful of ways to end an introduction politely in Chinese, which I will teach you in a later section. But for most situations, you can just stick to 很高兴认识你/您/大家 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ/nín/dàjiā).

Chinese Self-introductions in a Nutshell

• The most common and simple way to introduce yourself in Chinese is to say “我叫 (Wǒ jiào)” followed by your name.
• Alternatives include “我的名字叫 (Wǒ de míngzi jiào)”, “我是 (Wǒ shì)” or “我的名字是 (Wǒ de míngzi shì)” followed by your name.
• “你好 (Nǐ hǎo)” can be used for either “hi” or “hello.” When respect is called for, use “您好 (Nín hǎo)”. When introducing yourself to a group of people, greet them with 大家好 (Dàjiā hǎo).
• Conclude your self-introduction in Chinese with “很高兴认识你/您/大家 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ/nín/dàjiā)”.    

Basic Chinese Introduction Examples

• 你好, 我叫威廉, 很高兴认识你。 Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Wēi lián, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. Hi, my name is William. Nice to meet you.
• 您好, 我的名字叫爱丽丝, 很高兴认识您。 Nín hǎo, wǒ de míngzi jiào Ài lì sī, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín. Hello, my name is Alice. Nice to meet you (honorific).
• 大家好, 我是詹姆斯·布雷迪, 很高兴认识大家。 Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Zhān mǔ sī · Bù léi dí , hěn gāoxìng rènshi dàjiā. Hello everybody, I am James Brady. Nice to meet you all.

Chinese Etiquette to Introduce Yourself

It’s great to know the phrases to say when introducing yourself in Chinese, but how you say those phrases will make or break your self-introduction.

There are cultural differences to be aware of. They’re subtle, so if you miss them, it probably won’t be counted against you as a foreigner. But paying attention to details like these can give you an extra social edge when you first meet a new Chinese friend.

Read the Context

To establish a good rapport from the very beginning, you should learn the typical Chinese introduction phrases, and understand how to adapt the tone and content of the introduction according to the person you’re meeting, whether it’s a social or a professional encounter, a casual or formal setting.

So, choose the version of the Chinese introduction wisely ! Use the correct phrases to eliminate the awkwardness that sometimes happens when people meet for the first time.  If you’re unsure, lean toward formality . You can always ease into a more laid-back approach after the ice is broken.

Be Friendly

Be friendly in any situation. You can show through your gestures that you’re glad to meet them. 

Unlike Japanese and Koreans, Chinese people never bow when meeting someone. Eye contact, a firm handshake, a smile, and a few standard phrases will be enough. (And please, no hugs or kisses!)

One thing you do have to take note of is the order of the handshake – there are some strict conventional rules. Don’t move in for the handshake if you are meeting ladies and people in a higher position of authority or age. Instead, wait for them to reach out first. But if you’re meeting your peers, you don’t have to worry about who reaches out first (generally, whoever reaches out first is considered more polite).

And if you are not sure when to extend your hand, you can just hold it and let your conversation partner take the initiative. Sometimes a simple nod of the head will show that you acknowledge the other person and that you’re happy to make their acquaintance.

Address Properly

In China, people either introduce themselves by their family names or full names. Chinese family names are typically one character /syllable in length and easily recognizable. You can also take cues from the expression 我姓… (Wǒ xìng …) – “My surname is …” which is specifically used to introduce one’s family name.

If someone only tells you their family name, it means they are not ready to be your friends yet and would prefer you to address them by their family name + title (e.g. Mr. Wang, Professor Li, Engineer Zhou, etc). So don’t ask for their first name – it’s considered rude in Chinese culture .

When Chinese people volunteer their full name, the family name comes first and the first name comes second. 

If you have a Chinese name, it’s customary to introduce your full name because your Chinese family name is – let’s get real – not your real family name. For example, if your Chinese name is 安龙 (Ān lóng), you should introduce yourself as 安龙 (Ān lóng), not Mr 安 (Ān) or just 龙 (Lóng). If your name is transliterated from English, however, you don’t need to change the order of names.

People with experience of living in the West would sometimes reverse the Chinese name order when interacting in English to conform to the common Western practice. If you are not sure whether a switch has been made when you meet Chinese people and they introduce themselves by full names, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask which of their names is their family name or their given name.

Beyond the Basics – Talking about Yourself in Chinese

You nailed the initial three pieces of the Chinese self-introduction. Great job!

Now you’ve said 你好, 我叫… (Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào …) – “Hello, my name is …”, and you’ve smiled, nodded, shaken hands, and expressed delight about meeting your new Chinese friends or associates, you’re ready to take the conversation to the next level!

From here we get into the fun stuff. You can start adding information about yourself, using short sentences that explain where you’re from, what you do, what you like, and so on.

Sharing basic information about you will help people get to know you better when you first introduce yourself. This is especially valuable as you start to make more Chinese-speaking friends and acquaintances.

Here are some sentences you can use to tell more about yourself in Chinese.

1. Introducing Where You Are from

Being a foreigner in China always sparks the imagination of the Chinese. It’s a good idea to let people know where you’re from as the next step of your Chinese self-introduction. Even if you don’t use it during the initial self-intro, your new Chinese friend will probably ask you anyway, so memorizing a few of these phrases is extremely useful.

There are a few ways to ask “where are you from?” in Chinese.

If you hear 你是哪个国家的？(Nǐ shì nǎ gè guójiā de)  – literally, “You are of which country?” or 你是哪国人？(Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén)  – “You are which country person?”, this means the person wants to know your country of origin.

我是…人 (Wǒ shì … rén )

The usual answer to questions about your country of origin is 我是…人 (Wǒ shì … rén ) – I come from … (literally, “I am … person”).  

Simply start the sentence with 我是 (Wǒ shì) , say the name of your country, and add the word 人 (rén)  – “person” afterward.

For example,

• 我是 美国 人。 Wǒ shì Měiguó rén. I am from America. Literally, “I am America person.” 
• 我是 加拿大 人。 Wǒ shì  Jiānádà  rén. I am from Canada. Literally, “I am Canada person.”

Not sure how to say your country in Chinese? Practice with our complete list of country names written out in Chinese (plus abbreviations) .

You may also get asked 你是哪里人？(Nǐ shì nǎli rén)  – literally, “You are where person?” or 你来自哪里？(Nǐ lái zì nǎli)  – “You come from where?” These questions are similar to the English “where are you from?”.

You may still respond with your country of origin, but you’re welcome to name your city, state, or prefecture as well if it’s a major or well-known one like Paris or California. To do so, simply substitute the name of the specific place for the country.  

• 我是 巴黎 人。 Wǒ shì Bālí rén. I am from Paris. Literally, “I am Paris person.”
• 我是 加利福尼亚 人。 Wǒ shì Jiālìfúníyà rén. I am from California. Literally, “I am California person.”

我来自…  (Wǒ lái zì   …)

You can also phrase your answer as 我来自  (Wǒ lái zì)  – “I come from” and the name of the place. It sounds slightly more formal than the 我是…人 (Wǒ shì … rén) structure, but English speakers might find it easier to remember.

• 我来自 法国 。 Wǒ lái zì Fǎguó . I come from France.
• 我来自 巴黎 。 Wǒ lái zì Bālí . I come from Paris.
• 我来自 美国 。 Wǒ lái zì Měiguó . I come from America.
• 我来自 加利福尼亚 。 Wǒ lái zì Jiālìfúníyà . I come from California.

Don’t forget to ask the same questions in return or simply ask 你呢？(nǐ ne) or 您呢 (nín ne) – “and you?” to keep the conversation going.

If you are American, one of the most common questions you’ll get asked from curious Chinese people is which US state you’re from. You can learn how to say your state in Chinese here.

2. Introducing Where You Live

Now that your new Chinese friends know where you’re from originally, they may want to know some additional information about your current status. For example, where you live at the moment.

If they are interested in your current place of residence, they might ask you 你住在哪里？(Nǐ zhù zài nǎli)  or 你住在哪儿？(Nǐ zhù zài  nǎr )  – literally “You live in where?”.

Both 哪里 (nǎli) and 哪儿  (nǎr) mean “where”, with 哪儿  (nǎr) used more often in northern China. You can navigate your way around China town or any place in China easily with this question word. Learn more Survival Chinese .

我住在… (W ǒ zhù zài  …)

The best way to answer the question is to say 我住在 (W ǒ zhù zài )  – “I live in” and the name of the city or region where you live.

• 我住在 伦敦 。 Wǒ zhù zài Lúndūn . I live in London.
• 我住在 北京 。 Wǒ zhù zài Běijīng . I live in Beijing.

If you want to tell people you were born or grew up in one place, but live in another, you can use the conjunction 但 (dàn)  – “but” to connect the two sentences, like

• 我是英国人, 但 我住在澳大利亚。 Wǒ shì Yīngguó rén , dàn  wǒ zhù zài Àodàlìyà. I am British, but I live in Australia.
• 我来自纽约, 但 我住在得克萨斯. Wǒ lái zì Niǔyuē , dàn  wǒ zhù zài Dékèsàsī. I am from New York, but I live in Texas.

3. Introducing Your Age  

As in many parts of the world, asking someone about their age is generally considered impolite in China, especially if you’re a man asking a woman her age. Nevertheless, you can volunteer your age when introducing yourself in Chinese, and your conversation partner will probably do the same.

我…岁 (Wǒ … suì)

Here’s how you would say how old you are in Chinese: start with the pronoun 我 (wǒ) – “I”, followed by the number of your age, and end with 岁 (suì) , which means “years of age”.

For example:

• 我 二十五 岁。 Wǒ èr shí wǔ suì. I am twenty-five years old. Literally, “I twenty-five years of age.”

To tell people your age, simply substitute the number that corresponds to your age in the orange font.

You’ll notice that in English, you use the verb “to be” (am) when describing how old you are (and in some languages, you use the verb “to have”). In Chinese, however, you must drop the verb entirely and connect the subject directly with the age . So, it’s like saying “I ___ years old.” Read more about the topic-comment structure in Chinese .

Okay, to fully introduce yourself in Chinese and state your age, you’ll need to know Chinese numbers. You can follow our complete tutorial here to learn the Chinese numeral system .

At some point, you might still need to ask “how old are you?” in Chinese. And the way you compose this question should be dependent on the age of the person you’re talking to.

To ask about a kid’s age in Chinese, simply say   你几岁？(Nǐ jǐ suì?)  

But for inquiring about an adult’s age in Chinese, you should say 你多少岁？(Nǐ duōshǎo suì)  or 您多少岁？(Nín duōshǎo  suì)  – if you want to show an extra level of respect.

Both 几 (jǐ) and 多少 (duōshǎo) are Chinese question words for numbers. So all these questions translate to “You, what number years of age?”, literally. The difference is that 几 (jǐ) is reserved for small numbers, while 多少 (duōshǎo) is used to inquire about big numbers.

As with many expressions in Chinese, there are a few more ways to inquire about a person’s age. You can follow our complete guide here to learn the various ways of saying and asking age in Chinese .

4. Introducing Your Profession 

The Chinese love talking about jobs and careers. It’s not uncommon for people to ask about each other’s profession during Chinese introductions, especially if it’s a social encounter where people are doing networking.

Some of the first and most common conversations you’ll have in Chinese will require you to answer the question 你是做什么的？(Nǐ shì zuò  shénme de ) , which roughly translates to “what is that you do?” or “what do you do for a living?”

Another way to approach this subject is to ask  你在哪里工作？( Nǐ zài nǎlǐ gōngzuò ) , or more colloquially  你在哪里上班？( Nǐ zài nǎlǐ shàngbān ) , both of which mean “where do you work?” 

When answering these questions with your profession or telling someone about your job, there are a few structures you can use.

我是一名… ( Wǒ shì yì míng …)

This is the most common way to say what you do in Chinese: start the sentence with 我是一名 ( Wǒ shì yì míng) , which means “I am a”, and then add your profession or job at the end of the sentence.

• 我是一名 医生 。 Wǒ shì yì míng  yīshēng . I am a doctor.
• 我是一名 律师 。 Wǒ shì yì míng  lǜshī . I am a lawyer.
• 我是一名 工程师 。 Wǒ shì yì míng  gōngchéngshī . I am an engineer.

If you are a student, you can say

• 我是一名 学生 。 Wǒ shì yì míng  xuésheng . I am a student.

Keep in mind that you need to add a measure word between a number (a/one) and a noun in Chinese. And the best measure word for professions in this context is 名 (míng) . For example, you wouldn’t just say 一医生 (yì yīshēng) for “a doctor”, you would say 一名医生 (yì míng yīshēng), which translates to “a [measure word] doctor”.

A quick grammar usage note: like some languages, you can drop “a” (一名 [yì míng]) before the job in Chinese sometimes and just say 我是 (Wǒ shì) + profession (e.g. 我是医生 [Wǒ shì yīshēng]), however, this does not sound natural to Chinese people when you introduce your profession. So better slip 一名 (yì míng) in the middle of the sentence!

我在…工作/上班 (Wǒ zài … gōngzuò /shàng bān )

To tell your conversation partner about the company, institution or location where you’re currently employed, you’ll say  我在…工作 (Wǒ zài … gōngzuò )  or 我在…上班 (Wǒ zài … shàng bān ) . Both 工作 (gōngzuò) and 上班 (shàngbān) mean “work” in Chinese (工作 [gōngzuò] is slightly more formal), so these expressions are the Chinese equivalents of “I work at/in …”.

• 我在 银行 工作。 Wǒ zài yínháng  gōngzuò. I work in a bank.
• 我在 欧莱雅 上班。 Wǒ zài Ōu lái yǎ shàngbān. I work at L’Oréal.

Remember to substitute the name of your workplace in the orange font. 

我在…上学/读书 ( Wǒ zài  … shàngxué / dúshū )

Students can say where they’re studying by swapping out “work” – 工作 (gōngzuò) or 上班 (shàngbān) with “study” – 上学 ( shàngxué )  or more colloquially 读书 ( dúshū ) .

• 我在 北京大学 上学。 Wǒ zài Běijīng dàxué  shàngxué. I am studying at Peking University.
• 我在 纽约大学 读书。 Wǒ zài Niǔyuē dàxué  dúshū. I am studying at New York University.

See? One easy switch and you’re ready to tell people about your education situation.

Lastly, to say you’re a freelancer, say 我是自由职业 (Wǒ shì zìyóu zhíyè) . And if you’re unemployed, say 我没有工作 (Wǒ méiyǒu gōngzuò)  – “I don’t have a job”. Or if you’re currently looking for a job – 我正在找工作 (Wǒ zhèng zài zhǎo gōngzuò) .

Since “What’s your job?” is a question you might get asked all the time in China, it’s a great idea to memorize the name of your profession in Chinese before embarking on your Chinese conversation journey. That way, you won’t get flustered when it comes up!

To understand what your new friend does for a living, you’ll want to have a solid vocabulary base of Chinese professions. You can practice the names of popular professions in Chinese with our guide here.

5. Introducing Your Family

Family is yet another evergreen small talk topic that you should be prepared to address when introducing yourself in Chinese.

But before learning how to introduce your family, you should know that family is so important in Chinese culture that Chinese has a specific word for almost every family relationship. For example, elder brother and younger brother.

So here’s some key relationship vocabulary.

In China, asking about a person’s family shows a desire to understand the person better. You may get asked if you have any brothers or sisters:

• 你有兄弟姐妹吗？ Nǐ yǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi ma? Do you have any siblings? Literally, “You have brothers (and) sisters ma?”

or how many brothers or sisters you have:

• 你有几个兄弟姐妹？ Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè xiōngdì jiěmèi? How many siblings do you have? Literally, “You have how many brothers (and) sisters?”

我有 (Wǒ yǒu) + number + 个  (gè)  + relationship

To say how many brothers and sisters you have, use the structure 我有 (Wǒ yǒu) + number + 个  (gè)  + relationship , which can be translated as “I have however many of a certain type of relationship”. For instance,

• 我有 一 个 哥哥 。 Wǒ yǒu  yí  gè  gēge . I have an elder brother.
• 我有 两 个 妹妹 。 Wǒ yǒu  liǎng  gè  mèimei . I have two younger sisters.

Here, 有 (yǒu)  is the “have” in Chinese used to express possession, and 个 (gè)  is the measure word for counting people.

To connect multiple relationships, you can use the conjunction 和 ( hé )  – “and”.

• 我有一个哥哥 和 两个妹妹。 Wǒ yǒu yí gè gēge  hé  liǎng gè mèimei. I have an elder brother and two younger sisters.

And if you don’t have siblings, you can say

• 我没有兄弟姐妹。 Wǒ méiyǒu xiōngdì jiěmèi. I don’t have siblings.

To say that you don’t have someone (or something), simply start your sentence with 我没有(Wǒ méiyǒu) . 没 (méi) is the negation word for “have” in Chinese. (Read more about how to express possession in Chinese )

or you can say

• 我是独生子女。 Wǒ shì dú shēng zǐnǚ. I am an only child.

You may also get asked if you’re married in some situations.

• 你结婚了吗？ Nǐ jiéhūn le ma? Are you married?

To say that you’re married, say 我结婚了 (Wǒ  jiéhūn le )  – “I am married”. And if you’re not,  我还没结婚 (Wǒ  hái méi jiéhūn )  – literally, “I still haven’t married”, or  我单身 (Wǒ dān shēn )  – “I (am) single.”

If you’re currently dating someone, you can use the sibling sentence structure.

• 我有一个女朋友。 Wǒ yǒu yí gè nǚ péngyou. I have a girlfriend.
• 我有一个男朋友。 Wǒ yǒu yí gè nán péngyou. I have a boyfriend.

You can also use the sibling sentence structure to talk about your children if you have any.

• 我有三个孩子。 Wǒ yǒu sān gè háizi. I have three kids.
• 我有一个儿子和两个女儿。 Wǒ yǒu yí gè érzi hé liǎng gè nǚ’ér. I have a son and two daughters.

You can even introduce your four-legged family members using this structure. Just make sure to change the measure word 个 (gè), which is reserved for people, to appropriate measure words for animals, for example, 只 ( zhī ) for cats  and 条 ( tiáo ) for dogs .

• 我有两 只 猫。 Wǒ yǒu liǎng  zhī  māo. I have two cats.
• 我有三 条 狗。 Wǒ yǒu sān tiáo  gǒu. I have three dogs.

A quick grammar tip: Mandarin has two words for the number “two”: 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng). When it comes to counting people and objects, always use 两 (liǎng). For example, to say “two kids”, you would say “两个孩子 (liǎng gè háizi)”, not “二个孩子 (èr gè háizi)”. Read more about when to use 两 (liǎng) over 二 (èr) .

6. Talking about Your Languages 

Since you’re introducing yourself in Chinese, your new Chinese friends will likely be interested in finding out how you’ve learned their native language and what led you to take it up.

First, you may get asked, “how long have you been learning the Chinese language?”.

In Chinese, this question may sound something like 你学了多久中文？ (Nǐ xué  le duō jiǔ  Z hōngwén )  – literally, “You’ve learned how long time Chinese?” or  你汉语学了多长时间 ？(Nǐ Hàn yǔ xué le duō cháng shíjiān )  – “You, Chinese learned how long time?”

我学了 (Wǒ xué  le ) + time duration + 中文 (Z hōngwén )/汉语 (H ànyǔ )

To respond, say 我学了 (Wǒ xué  le ) – “I’ve learned” first, followed by the time duration and then the word 中文 (Z hōngwén )  or 汉语 (H ànyǔ )  – “Chinese”.

• 我学了 三个月 中文。 Wǒ xué le  sān gè yuè  Zhōngwén. I’ve been learning Chinese for three months.
• 我学了 半年 汉语。 Wǒ xué le  bàn nián Hànyǔ. I’ve been learning Chinese for half a year.

In Chinese, several words are used to refer to “the Chinese language”. The word 汉语 (Hànyǔ) means the language of Han Chinese people (the largest ethnic group in China that comprises approximately 92% of its population), in contrast with the languages of the non-Han Chinese peoples in China (e.g. Tibetan , Uyghur , etc). 汉语 (Hànyǔ) is, therefore, the accurate, scientific term for the language. However, the most popular term for the Chinese language is 中文 (Zhōngwén), which translates to “China language”, literally.

If you can respond to the first question, chances are you’ll also be asked  你在哪里学的中文/汉语 ？(Nǐ zài n ǎlǐ xué de Zh ōngwén/ H ànyǔ )  – “Where did you learn Chinese?” (literally, “You in where learned Chinese”)

我在…学的中文/汉语 (W ǒ zài  …  xué de  Z hōngwén /H ànyǔ )

To reply to this question, simply swap out the question word 哪里 (nǎlǐ) – “where” in the question with the name of the place, like

• 我在 北京 学的中文。 Wǒ zài Běijīng xué de Zhōngwén. I learned Chinese in Beijing.
• 我在 学校 学的中文。 Wǒ zài xuéxiào  xué de Zhōngwén. I learned Chinese at school.
• 我在 网上 学的汉语。 Wǒ zài wǎng shàng  xué de Hànyǔ. I learned Chinese online.

People might also ask you “why are you learning Chinese?” – 你为什么学中文/汉语？(N ǐ wèi shénme xué Zh ōngwén /H ànyǔ ).

To prepare to answer the question, take a look at these common examples:

我学中文/汉语是因为… (W ǒ xué Zh ōngwén /H ànyǔ shì yīnwèi  …) – “ (The reason) I learn Chinese is because … ”

• 我喜欢中国文化。 Wǒ xǐhuan Zhōngguó wénhuà. I like Chinese culture.
• 我想去中国工作。 Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó gōngzuò. I want to work in China.
• 我的女朋友是中国人。 Wǒ de nǚ péngyǒu shì Zhōngguó rén. My girlfriend is Chinese.
• 我的爸爸来自中国。 Wǒ de bàba lái zì Zhōngguó. My dad comes from China.

You will see more examples of how to talk about what you like, what you want, as well as introducing other people in the following sections, so don’t stress if you don’t get it yet!

Lastly, you might get asked 你会说哪些语言？ (Nǐ huì shuō nǎxiē yǔyán)  – “What languages do you speak?” (literally, “You can speak which languages?”)

我会说 (Wǒ huì shuō)

To answer, you can say 我会说 (Wǒ  huì shuō )  – “I can speak”, and then the names of the languages. Remember to use the conjunction 和 (hé) – “and” for linking multiple languages.

• 我会说 英语 , 法语 , 和 西班牙语 。 Wǒ huì shuō  Yīngyǔ ,  Fǎyǔ , hé  Xībānyáyǔ . I can speak English, French, and Spanish.

You can also say what languages you’re studying by saying  我正在学… (W ǒ zhèng zài xué  …)  – “I am studying …”. For example, as a Chinese learner, you could say 

• 我会说 英语 和 法语 , 我正在学 中文 。 Wǒ huì shuō  Yīngyǔ  hé  Fǎyǔ , wǒ zhèng zài xué  Zhōngwén . I speak English and French, (and) I am learning Chinese.

7. Talking about Your Interests and Hobbies 

Hobbies might not be the first topic you’ll touch upon when you introduce yourself in Chinese, but it’s certainly the most extensive one. Once you’re past the basics and need something interesting to talk about, you can share your passions to inspire further conversation.

Two common ways to ask someone about their hobbies in Chinese are

• 你平时喜欢做什么？ Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan zuò shénme? What do you like to do in your free time? Literally, “You ordinary time like to do what?”
• 你的爱好是什么？ Nǐ de àihào shì shénme? What’s your hobby? Literally, “Your hobby is what?”

我喜欢… ( Wǒ xǐhu a n  …)

You can answer the questions or speak about your hobbies and interests in various ways, but the easiest one is the expression 我喜欢… ( Wǒ xǐhu a n  …)  – “I like” and then list a noun or a verb.

Here’s a bunch of examples.

• 我喜欢 足球 。 Wǒ xǐhuan zúqiú . I like football.
• 我喜欢 旅行 。 Wǒ xǐhuan lǚxíng . I like traveling.
• 我喜欢 看小说 。 Wǒ xǐhuan  kàn xiǎoshuō . I like reading novels.
• 我喜欢 学外语 。 Wǒ xǐhuan xué wàiyǔ . I like learning foreign languages.

Useful Chinese Words and Phrases Related to Hobbies

Even if you don’t think of your interests as “hobbies,” you can describe them as such anyway.

我的爱好是… ( Wǒ de àihào shì  …)

Alternatively, you can say 我的爱好是 ( Wǒ de àihào shì )  – “My hobby is” then name a noun/verb or two.

• 我的爱好是 钓鱼 。 Wǒ de àihào shì diàoyú . My hobby is fishing.
• 我的爱好是 跑步 和 骑行 。 Wǒ de àihào shì  pǎobù  hé  qíxíng . My hobbies are running and cycling.

我对…很感兴趣 (W ǒ duì … hěn gǎn xìngqù )

You can also use the expression 我对…很感兴趣 (W ǒ duì … hěn gǎn xìngqù )  – “I am very interested in …” to let people know that you have a keen interest in something or doing something. Simply name the “thing” in the blank.

• 我对 汉字 很感兴趣。 Wǒ duì Hànzì hěn gǎn xìngqù. I am very interested in Chinese characters.
• 我对 中国文化 很感兴趣。 Wǒ duì  Zhōngguó wénhuà  hěn gǎn xìngqù. I am interested in Chinese culture.
• 我对 学中文 很感兴趣。 Wǒ duì xué Zhōngwén hěn gǎn xìngqù. I am very interested in learning Chinese.

我擅长… (Wǒ shàn cháng  …)

Lastly, if you want to tell people that you are good at something, you can say 我擅长 (Wǒ shàn cháng )  and then whatever it is that you excel at.

• 我擅长 做菜 。 Wǒ shàncháng  zuòcài . I am good at cooking.
• 我擅长 网球 和 乒乓 。 Wǒ shàncháng  wáng qiú  hé pīngpāng . I am good at tennis and table tennis.

Well, try not to show off too much. Revealing one or two of your strengths is great, but listing all your amazing abilities in your Chinese self-intro will probably annoy others and make you seem over-confident. After all, humility is the king of all virtues!  

8. Talking about Your Plans

And finally, you can include your plans in your Chinese self-introduction. For instance, what you want to do in the future, what new skills you’re trying to acquire, or where you’re traveling to this summer.

Here are some example sentences for talking about your plans in Chinese.

• 我想 去中国旅行 。 Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó lǚxíng . I want to take a trip to China.
• 我想 来上海实习 。 Wǒ xiǎng lái Shànghǎi shíxí . I want to do an internship in Shanghai.
• 我想 说流利的中文 。 Wǒ xiǎng  shuō liúlì de Zhōngwén . I want to speak fluent Chinese.
• 我打算 考 HSK 。 Wǒ dǎsuàn  kǎo  HSK . I plan to take the HSK exam.
• 我打算 在中国开一家公司 。 Wǒ dǎsuàn zài Zhōngguó kāi yì jiā gōngsī . I plan to start a business in China.
• 这个夏天 我打算 参加一个中文课程 。 Zhè gè xiàtiān wǒ dǎsuàn  cānjiā yì gè Zhōngwén kèchéng . I plan to take a Chinese course this summer.

A quick grammar note: the verb 打算 (dǎsuàn) is used to tell what you plan to do. It’s most commonly used in situations where you’ve already made up your mind. It’s definite (or almost definite). Don’t use it for instances where you’re just randomly thinking about something. In that case, use 想 (xiǎng) instead.

Unlike in English where you normally need a preposition like “to” to connect different verbs in a sentence, in Chinese, you can string the verbs together without any linking word to describe a sequence (e.g. want to do, plan to do). Read more on how to connect verbs in Chinese .  

Concluding Your Chinese Self-introduction

All good things come to an end, don’t they?

Earlier we learned how to use the set phrase 很高兴认识你 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) to conclude your self-introduction. Here are a few more ways to end a conversation gracefully in Chinese.

• 认识你很高兴。 Rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng. Nice to meet you.

Here, you can rearrange the word order as 认识你很高兴 (R ènsh i nǐ  h ěn gāoxìng )  – literally, “Knowing you (I’m) very glad.” to express the pleasure of meeting someone when the conversation is over.

• 很高兴见到你。 Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ. Nice to meet you. Literally, “Very glad (to) meet you”.
• 见到你很高兴。 Jiàn dào nǐ hěn gāoxìng. Nice to meet you. Literally, “Meeting you (I’m) very glad.” 

Alternatively, you can end with the phrase 很高兴见到你 (H ěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ )  – “Very glad (to) meet you” or the other way around – 见到你很高兴 (J iàn dào nǐ  h ěn gāoxìng )  – “Meeting you (I’m) very glad”, two other popular ways of saying “Nice to meet you” in Chinese.

• 请(您)多多关照。 Qǐng (nín) duō duō guānzhào. Please look after me often.
• 请(您)多多指教。 Qǐng (nín) duō duō zhǐjiào. Please guide me often.

Modesty is viewed as a great virtue in Chinese culture. Chinese people like to keep a low profile both in regard to their own achievements, status as well as their interactions with others.

So in professional contexts, you could say 请(您)多多关照 (Q ǐng [nín]   duō duō guānzhà o)  – “Please look after me often” or 请(您)多多指教 (Q ǐng [nín] duō duō zhǐjiào )  – “Please guide me often” at the end of your self-introduction as a way of promoting modesty when you meet new Chinese colleagues or work contacts. It may not be common to say something like this in your culture, but in China, a humble concluding phrase like this can go a long way toward forging a bond!

If you’re excited about establishing a new friendship with someone and plan to meet them again, go ahead and ask for their phone number or WeChat (China’s WhatsApp-like messaging and social media app). Try being direct – it works pretty well in Chinese.

• 我们留个电话吧。 Wǒmen liú gè diànhuà ba. Let’s leave a phone number (to each other).
• 我们加个微信吧。 Wǒmen jiā gè wēixìn ba. Let’s friend each other on WeChat.

To say goodbye in Chinese, simply say 再见 (z àijiàn ) . But if you have another planned meeting with your new Chinese friend at some time soon, it would be more appropriate to say  回头见 ( huí tóu jiàn ) , which means “see you later” or “see you soon”.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Setting  

Throughout the article, we’ve already given you various pointers on how to introduce yourself in professional contexts, but it’s important to go deeper into them here if you ever have to introduce yourself in Chinese in a formal business setting.

1. Use the Formal Way of Addressing

Unless someone proposes to use 你 (nǐ), always use the formal way of addressing 您 (nín).

2. Introduce Your Last Name As Well As Your First Name

With regard to introducing your name, there is little difference between China and elsewhere. It is considered polite to give your full name on formal occasions.

If you have a Chinese name, say your last name before your first name. If your name is transliterated into Chinese, then keep the original name order.

3. Give a Brief Summary of Your Job

When you introduce yourself in a business setting, mention the company or organization you work for as well as your job position or the name of your profession in your Chinese self-introduction.

To do so, use the structure 我在…担任…  (W ǒ zài …  dānrèn …) , which translates to “I work as … in/at …” (literally, “I in … take on the position of …”), for example,

• 我在 谷歌 担任 软件工程师 。 wǒ zài  Gǔgē  dānrèn  ruǎnjiàn gōngchéngshī . I work as a software engineer at Google. Literally, “I in Google take on the position of a software engineer.”

4. Use Formal Words and Longer Sentences

Introducing yourself in a formal business setting will require you to use the formal form of Chinese words/phrases and longer sentences.

For example, instead of 我叫… (Wǒ jiào) – “I am called …” or 我是… (Wǒ shì) – “I am …” for introducing your name, it would be more appropriate to use the longer version  我的名字叫…  (Wǒ de míngzi j iào)  – “My name is called …” or  我的名字是…  (Wǒ de míngz i  shì)  – “My name is …”

And instead of saying 我在…上班 (Wǒ zài … shàngbān) – “I work in/at …” for telling people where you work, rephrase it as 我在…工作 ( Wǒ zài … gōngzuò)  or 我在…担任…  (W ǒ zài …  dānrèn …)  – “I work as … in/at …”.

To conclude your self-intro, you could say 非常荣幸认识您 (F ēicháng róngxìng rènsh i  nín )  – “Very honored to meet you” instead of 很高兴认识您 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín) – “Nice to meet you” to add a dash of humbleness.

5. Wait for Your Turn to be Introduced

In China, people in a lower position of authority or age will be introduced to the higher first. When it’s your turn to be introduced, stand up, smile, and look at the people also being introduced with ease.

Wait for the person of higher standing to initiate the handshake. Some Chinese people think handshakes are only for equals, so if that person doesn’t automatically offer you their hand, don’t offer yours to offend them! Just nod politely.

6. Use Both Hands to Present Your Business Card

Business cards are called 名片 (míngpiàn) in Chinese (literally, “name cards”), and they are an important part of Chinese work culture. 

When you present your business card, say  这是我的名片 (Zhè  shì wǒ de míngpiàn )  – “This is my business card”, and hold the top edge of the card with both hands to show the recipient respect.

When you are offered a business card, accept it with two hands as well. Make sure to read the person’s name and title on the card before you put it away. Show interest in what they do and act at least a bit impressed with their job title.

Example of Chinese Self-introduction in a Formal Setting

• 您好，我的名字叫大卫·摩根。我在宜家担任销售经理，这是我的名片。非常荣幸认识您。 Nín hǎo, wǒ de míngzi jiào Dà wèi · Mó gēn. Wǒ zài Yíjiā dānrèn xiāoshòu jīnglǐ, zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn. Fēicháng róngxìng rènshi nín. Hi, my name is David Morgan. I work as a sales manager at Ikea. Here’s my business card. I am very honored to meet you.

Always remember that a self-introduction at a party or a business meeting will be different. You can be casual with friends or people of your age, but should always be formal in the business world. If need be, learn how to be even more prepared to give a strong and professional self-introduction for a Chinese job interview!

How to Introduce Someone in Chinese 

Now that you’ve learned how to introduce yourself in Chinese, in both an informal setting and a formal setting, you’re ready to try and introduce someone else, such as your family, friends, or colleagues.

Here are some typical expressions you can use to introduce other people. Use them to earn extra points with your new Chinese friends!

• 这是 我的妻子 。 Zhè shì wǒ de qīzi . This is my wife.
• 这是 我的丈夫 。 Zhè shì wǒ de zhàngfu . This is my husband.
• 这是 我的儿子 。 Zhè shì wǒ de érzi . This is my son.
• 这是 我的女儿 。 Zhè shì wǒ de nǚ’ér . This is my daughter.
• 这是 我的朋友马修 。 Zhè shì wǒ de péngyou Mǎ xiū . This is my friend, Matthew.
• 这是 我的同事珍妮 。 Zhè shì wǒ de tóngshì Zhēn nī . This is my colleague, Jenny.

Did you notice the pattern here? To introduce someone in Chinese, simply start the sentence with 这是 (Zhè  shì )  – meaning “This is” and finish it with the person you want to introduce.

If you aren’t sure whether your conversation partner has already met the other person, you can use the following phrases. (Simply swap out the name in the orange font for your friend)

• 你认识 巴尼 吗？ Nǐ rènshí  Bā ní  ma? Do you know Barney? Literally, “You know Barney ma?”
• 你见过 泰德 吗？ Nǐ jiàn guò  Tài dé  ma? Have you met Ted? Literally, “You have met Ted ma?”

Once you initiate the introduction, you might want to go on and tell others a bit more about that person. This is rather easy to do in Chinese, as you don’t have to conjugate the verbs like you would have to in many other languages.

In other words, you can just stick to the sentence patterns used for your self-introduction, change the subject to an appropriate one (or use the pronoun 他 [tā] for “he” and 她 [tā] for “she”) , and then you are good to go!

Here are some example sentences for introducing someone in Chinese.

• 我的妻子叫詹妮弗。她三十六岁。 Wǒ de qīzi jiào Zhān nī fú. Tā sān shí liù suì. My wife’s name is Jennifer. She is thirty-six years old.
• 她是英国人。她来自伦敦。 Tā shì Yīngguó rén. Tā lái zì Lúndūn. She is British. She’s from London.
• 我的丈夫是加拿大人。他叫山姆。 Wǒ de zhàngfu shì Jiānádà rén. Tā jiào Shān mǔ. My husband is Canadian. His name is Sam.
• 我的爸爸在多伦多工作。他是一名老师。 Wǒ de bàba zài Duōlúnduō gōngzuò. Tā shì yì míng lǎoshī. My dad works in Toronto. He is a teacher.
• 泰德住在纽约。他是一名建筑师。 Tài dé zhù zài Niǔyuē. Tā shì yì míng jiànzhùshī. Ted lives in New York. He is an architect.
• 泰德的儿子十五岁。他喜欢中国。他想学中文。 Tài dé de érzi shí wǔ suì. Tā xǐhuan Zhōngguó. Tā xiǎng xué Zhōngwén. Ted’s son is fifteen years old. He loves China. He wants to learn Chinese.

Note that while “he” and “she” are represented by different Chinese characters, they are pronounced the same. In a conversation, you’ll need the context to tell whether someone is talking about a male “tā” or female “tā”.

Introducing Yourself in Chinese: Quick Summary

Here’s a quick summary of the key introductory words and phrases you’ve learned from this article that you can use when introducing yourself in Chinese.

Example Self-introduction in Chinese

With the above Chinese introduction phrases under your belt, you’ll be able to make friends and acquaintances without any trouble at all. Just put the pieces together, mind the cultural differences, and practice till its second nature!

Here’s an example of a stellar self-introduction in Chinese for your reference.

• 你好，我叫谢尔顿。很高兴认识你。 Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Xiè ěr dùn. Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. Hello, my name is Sheldon. Nice to meet you.
• 我是美国人。我来自得克萨斯，但现在住在加利福尼亚。 Wǒ shì Měiguó rén. Wǒ lái zì Dékèsàsī, dàn xiànzài zhù zài Jiālìfúníyà. I am American. I am from Texas, but currently I live in California.
• 我今年三十七岁，结婚了。这是我的妻子，她的名字叫艾米，她也是美国人。我们还没有孩子。 Wǒ jīnnián sān shí qī suì, jiéhūn le. Zhè shì wǒ de qīzi, tā de míngzi jiào Ài mǐ, tā yě shì Měiguó rén. Wǒmen hái méiyǒu háizi. I am thirty-seven years old this year, married. This is my wife. Her name is Amy. She is American too. We don’t have kids yet.
• 我和我的妻子都在加州理工学院工作。我是一名物理学家。我擅长理论。我的妻子是一名神经科学家。 Wǒ hé wǒ de qīzi dōu zài Jiāzhōu lǐgōng xuéyuàn gōngzuò. Wǒ shì yì míng wùlǐ xuéjiā. Wǒ shàncháng lǐlùn. Wǒ de qīzi shì yì míng shénjīng kēxuéjiā. My wife and I both work at Caltech. I am a physicist. I am good at theory. My wife is a neuroscientist.
• 我的爱好是桌游和漫画。平时我喜欢和朋友在一起。我对语言也很感兴趣。我会说克林贡语。我现在还在学中文。我想去中国旅行。你呢？ Wǒ de àihào shì zhuōyóu hé mànhuà. Píngshí wǒ xǐhuan hé péngyǒu zài yìqǐ. Wǒ duì yǔyán yě hěn gǎn xìngqù. Wǒ huì shuō Kèlíngòng yǔ. Wǒ xiànzài hái zài xué Zhōngwén. Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó lǚxíng. Nǐ ne? My hobbies are board games and comics. In my free time I enjoy being with friends. I am also very interested in languages. I can speak Klingon. I am also learning Chinese at the moment. I want to take a trip to China. What about you?

If there’s ever a time when you need a pause to figure out what to say next during your Chinese self-introduction, don’t be afraid to use filler words to stall for time. For example, you can say 那个 (nèi ge), which works like “um”, “uh”, “well”, or “you know” in English. Read more about Chinese filler words . And in case you don’t know what your conversation partner just said, use the expression 我没听懂 (wǒ méi tīng dǒng) to encourage the person to rephrase and explain with simpler Chinese. (Avoid the overused expression 听不懂 [tīng bù dǒng] which is a conversation killer! Read more about different ways of saying “I don’t understand” in Chinese .)

And One More Thing

No matter how little Chinese you know, it’s doable to introduce yourself to someone who speaks Chinese. In other words, you don’t need to understand the precise meanings of what you’re saying or how the words relate to each other grammatically to introduce yourself in Chinese. But if you’re curious, or if you’re planning on learning Chinese, check out our in-depth guide on how to best learn Chinese from scratch . If you are struggling to improve your Chinese, consider taking a structured Chinese course online – it’s far more effective than reading odd bits and pieces here and there, and trying to put them together on your own. We’ve tested dozens of online Chinese language programs, some are amazing while others are, well… a complete waste of time. Make sure to read our unbiased reviews here and discover the best Chinese course out there for you.  

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How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese: A Complete Guide

The first step in combining Chinese language and culture involves being prepared to introduce yourself in Chinese at any moment. In a culture based on 关系 ( guānxi – relationships), it’s crucial to be able to describe yourself accurately.

The simplest way to introduce yourself in Chinese is to say 你好 ( nǐ hǎo ) meaning “hello” and  我叫 ( wǒ jiào ) meaning “my name is.”

But, if you want to know even more about the different ways you can introduce yourself and information about you in Chinese, we’re here to help.

Simple Chinese Greetings to Introduce Yourself

Introducing your name in chinese, asking about the other person, reacting to a compliment, share your background to introduce yourself in chinese, talking about: where you’re from, talking about: family, talking about: your education and employment situation, talking about: your income and your children’s grades (yeah, this happens), talking about: hospitality, talking about: what you do for fun, concluding your self-introduction, 12 etiquette tips for chinese conversation, and one more thing....

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The basic Chinese greeting is a well-wish, using the word  好 ( hǎo ) — good. Before saying hǎo , you can insert a time of day or a fitting pronoun. The standard greeting is  你好 ( nǐ hǎo ) — hello, nǐ meaning “you.”

[Personal pronoun] hǎo :

您  ( nín ) — The respectful form of the pronoun “you,” used for addressing elderly people or people with higher social or business status

叔叔  ( shū shu ) — Uncle, used for a man who’s old enough to be your father

阿姨 ( ā yí ) — Aunty, used for a woman could be your mom

爷爷  ( yè ye ) — Literally “father’s father,” used for a man who could be your grandfather

奶奶  ( nǎi nai ) — Literally “father’s mother,” used for a woman who could be your grandmother

[Time of day] hǎo:

早上  ( zǎo shàng ) — Morning (before 8:00 a.m.)

上午  ( shàng wǔ ) — Morning (after 8:00 a.m.)

下午  ( xià wǔ ) — Afternoon

晚上  ( wǎn shàng ) — Evening

In conversation, you’ll likely hear one of two questions asking for your name:

怎么称呼您? ( zěnme chénghū nín? ) — How should I address you?

你叫什么名字? ( nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? ) — What’s your name?

The first question includes the respectful nǐn , meaning it should be used to address older people or people with higher social or business status. In less formal relationships, either question can be used. In both cases, you can respond:

我叫 (wǒ jiào) – My name is, and then say your name

You should use questions and phrases that show you’re taking an interest in the person you’re conversing with, thus… building guānxi . For example ,  吃饭了吗? ( chī fàn le ma? ) meaning “have you eaten yet?” is a commonly used phrase that can be used after a typical meal time.

If you already know something about their job or family, do   build that relationship by using 怎么样 ( zěnme yàng ) questions:

[Topic of interest] zěnme yàng ? – How’s [topic of interest]?

Topics of interest may include:

生意  ( shēngyì ) — Business, implying the person runs their own business

工作  ( gōngzuò ) — Work as an employee

家人  ( jiārén ) — Family members

父母  ( fùmǔ ) — Parents

孩子  ( háizi ) — Child or children

If you don’t know anything about them and it’s not around a meal time, just jump into the conversation !

At any point after you say your name, your Chinese will likely be complimented. To be polite, they’ll compliment your Chinese regardless of how good it is.

They recognize the challenge of learning a language since most have at least studied English in school, so saying your Chinese is good is a way to elevate you. It’s now your mission to humbly reject such a lofty compliment.

You’ll hear:

你的中文很好! ( nǐ de zhōngwén hěn hǎo! ) — Your Chinese is very good!

You should say:

哪里哪里 ( nǎlǐ nǎlǐ ) — Literally “Where? Where?” implying “I don’t see anyone around here who deserves such a compliment!”

没有  ( méi yǒu ) — Literally “don’t have,” implying you aren’t qualified for such a compliment

Don’t be afraid to admit:

我还在学习中文  ( wǒ hái zài xuéxí zhōngwén ) — I’m still learning Chinese.

我的中文不太好  ( wǒ de zhōngwén bú tài hǎo ) — My Chinese isn’t that great.

If you include a statement about your low Chinese level, it shouldn’t be the focal point of the sentence. For example, instead of “My Chinese isn’t that great,” you could say “Even though my Chinese isn’t that great, I’m happy to tell you a little bit about myself.”

If you can, deflect the compliment to someone else who really deserves it. This shows you know where the credit really goes. For example, after the other person compliments your Chinese, you could say:

让我的老师很高兴  ( ràng wǒ de lǎoshī hěn gāoxìng ) — That would make my teacher very happy.

A good self-introduction in Chinese needs to describe your essence. That all starts with your background: where you’re from, your family, your education, your work situation and even your income. All of this forms a large part of who you are, so this information is important to share with Chinese people.

Because conversations—especially the first one—are all about building  guānxi , the heart of the conversation starts immediately after exchanging names.

If someone asks:

你是哪里的? ( nǐ shì nǎlǐ de ?) — Where are you from?

你是哪个国家的? ( nǐ shì nǎge guójiā de? ) — What country are you from?

You can answer:

我是 ___ 的  ( wǒ shì ___  de ) — I’m from ___

我来自 ___ ( wǒ láizì ___) — I’m from ___

If you’re from the local area, you can say:

我是本地的 ( wǒ shì běndì de ) — I’m a local, literally “I’m from this place.”

If you ask them where they’re from (or vice versa) and the answer is a little ambiguous (most Chinese will just say “China”), you can say:

___ 哪里? (___ nǎli ?) — Where in ___?

The purpose of the “where you’re from” questions is really to understand what kind of environment you’re from, so you can use these kinds of words to help them paint a picture of you:

农村  ( nóngcūn ) — Rural area, literally “village”

小城  ( xiǎochéng ) — Small town

城市  ( chéngshì ) — Big city

If you want to explain how an environment may have influenced you even though you aren’t directly from there, you can add the word  附近 ( fùjìn ) — “nearby” after the description of where you’re from (e.g., chéngshì fùjìn – near a big city).

Family is so important in Chinese culture that the language has a specific word for almost every family relationship .

For example, in English we would say “cousin,” but in Chinese it’s “your mom’s older sister’s daughter,” which is completely different from”your mom’s younger sister’s daughter.” Understanding your family relationships will help a Chinese person learn about your values and traits.

Someone may ask you how your parents are doing:

你的父母怎么样? ( nǐ de fùmǔ zěnme yàng? ) — How are your parents?

To say your parents are doing well, you can say:

我的___还好 — ( wǒ de ___  hái hǎo ) — My ___ is/are doing well.

爸爸 ( bàba ) — Dad

妈妈  ( māma ) — Mom

You may also be asked if you have any brothers and sisters:

你有几个兄弟姐妹? ( nǐ yǒu jǐ ge xiōngdì jiěmèi? ) — How many siblings do you have?

To say how many brothers and sisters you have, you can say:

我有 how many 个 relationship . ( wǒ yǒu  how many  ge relationship) — I have [however many] of [a certain type of relationship.]

哥哥  ( gēge ) — Older brother

弟弟  ( dìdi ) — Younger brother

姐姐 ( jièjie ) — Older sister

妹妹  ( mèimei ) — Younger sister

You will likely be asked if you’re married:

你结婚了吗? ( nǐ jiéhūn le ma? ) — Are you married?

If you’re married, you can say  结婚了 ( jiéhūn le ) — I’m married.

If you’re dating, you can use the sibling sentence structure, minus the “how many” part:

男朋友  ( nán péngyou ) — Boyfriend

女朋友  ( nǚ péngyou ) — Girlfriend

You can use the sibling sentence structure for how many children you have also (if you’re married, you will be asked if you have children):

孩子  ( háizi ) — Child/children

儿子  ( érzi ) — Son

女儿  ( nǚér ) — Daughter

A person’s education and job situation reflect their current social status.

You might be asked:

你做什么工作? ( nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò? ) — What do you do for work?

是你的专业吗? ( shì nǐ de zhuānyè ma? ) — Is that your profession?

Note :  zhuānyè  literally means “profession,” but the concept generally implies that it was your major in college, as well.

You could reply:

我是 ___ ( wǒ shì ___) — I’m a ___

我做 ___ ( wǒ zuò ___) — I ___

我上(了)大学 ( wǒ shàng (le) dàxué ) — I attend(ed) a university.

自学的  ( zìxué de ) — I am self-taught.

Similar to your education and job situation, your income and your children’s grades tell about your present situation in caring for yourself and your family, as well as what kind of future you might have. If the conversation gets this far, you will be asked about it.

___ 怎么样? (___ zěnme yàng ?) — How’s ___?

___ 可以吗? (___ kěyǐ ma ?) — Is ___ good enough?

成绩 ( chéngjì ) — Grades

工资  ( gōngzī ) — Income

还可以 ( hái kěyǐ ) — “Not bad.” Like in English, the tone of your voice shows how “not bad” it is.

不错 ( bú cuò ) — Pretty good/hard to complain.

很好 ( hěn hǎo ) — Very good/satisfying.

These conversations typically happen over tea or food. Hospitality is a big part of Chinese culture, so even if it’s their first time meeting you, they’ll probably still invite you to tea or a meal . This shows their willingness to spend time with you and build  guānxi .

If you have the time, do accept their offer to have tea or food. This shows your willingness to spend time with them and build  guānxi .

They might say something like:  我们喝茶吧 ( wǒmen hē chá ba ) — Let’s have some tea

You should say:  好的 ( hǎo de ) or  可以 ( kěyǐ ) with a smile. Both phrases carry the “that sounds good” meaning, but without the smile, your willingness could be misunderstood as “I guess I have to.”

You should also ask for their phone number or WeChat information . If you have time for tea, ask for this contact info before you leave. If you don’t have time for tea, ask for it so you can make plans to meet again. This shows you view the relationship as worth continuing.

可以给你我的电话号码吗? ( kěyǐ gěi nǐ wǒ de diàn huà hào mǎ ma? ) — Could I give you my phone number?

我们加微信吧  ( wǒmen jiā wēixìn ba ) — Let’s add each other’s WeChat

Grammar note : Saying 吧 ( ba ) is very important. It means you’re suggesting something. If you don’t say “ba,” you’re telling them what to do.

For more formal relationships:  可以加您的微信吗? ( kěyǐ jiā nín de wēixìn ma ?) — Can I add your WeChat?

Grammar note : 吗 ( ma ) is a word that basically adds a question mark to a sentence. For formal relationships, you want to ask permission, not make a suggestion.

Most conversations between Chinese people don’t require the “Where are you from?” part because they take for granted that they’re from China. In those cases, they’ll skip straight from “What’s your name?” to “ What do you like to do? “

你喜欢做什么? ( nǐ xǐhuān zuò shénme? ) — What do you like to do?

我喜欢 ___ ( wǒ xǐhuān ___) — I like to ___

You may be asked how long you’ve had that hobby:

你什么时候开始___? ( nǐ shénme shíhou kāishǐ ___?) — When did you start doing ___?

You could respond:

我 ___ 岁开始  ( wǒ ___ suì kāishǐ ) — I started when I was ___

我从小喜欢  ( wǒ cóng xiǎo xǐhuān ) — I’ve liked it since I was little

我 when 有兴趣了 ( wǒ when  yǒuxìngqù le ) — I got interested at a certain time

At this point, it would be natural for you to volunteer why you like doing what you do:

我觉得好玩  ( wǒ juéde hǎo wán ) — I think it’s fun, a phrase you can use to express simple enjoyment

让我 ___ ( ràng wǒ ___) — It makes me feel a certain way, a phrase that expresses contentment

轻松  ( qīngsōng ) — Relaxed

高兴  ( gāoxìng ) – Happy

期待  ( qīdài ) — Also meaning “happy,” but from doing something exciting

给我 ___ ( gěi wǒ ___) — It gives me a certain feeling, a phrase to explain deeper reasons.

安全感  ( ānquángǎn ) — A sense of security

满足感  ( mǎnzúgǎn ) — A sense of satisfaction

成就感 ( chéngjiùgǎn ) — A sense of accomplishment

一点幸福感  ( yīdiǎn xìngfúgǎn ) — A small sense of happiness

Note : xìngfú is viewed as an ultimate goal in life, so if you reach xìngfú through your hobbies, they’ll probably think of you as a very shallow person, or they’ll conclude you have no idea what you’re talking about

At the beginning of the conversation, all you knew was the person’s name. You didn’t know anything else about them. Now, after this conversation, you know something about the person, and they know something about you. This is the time to say things such as:

很高兴认识你  ( hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ ) — It was nice to become acquainted with you, literally “I’m happy to have become acquainted with you.”

In a more formal, less developed relationship, you could say:

谢谢您的时间 ( xièxie nín de shíjiān ) — Thank you for your time. This is especially respectful if the meet-and-greet was short, implying they didn’t have a lot of time to give you to begin with.

If you want to consolidate what you’ve learned about Chinese introductions and conversations, you could try a language learning platform like FluentU to see how the above phrases and vocabulary work in practice.

In Chinese culture, there are certain things you should pay attention to in order to ensure that you are being respectful, such as particular aspects of your body language. Here are 12 tips to take note of:

1. The older a person is, the more respect they receive in Chinese culture. Calling someone who could be your grandma “grandma” is very well received, while calling her “aunty” may be viewed as insulting because her life experience wouldn’t be properly recognized.

2. Do shake hands when introducing yourself in business-relationship settings. This shows respect for the status of the other person.

3. However, do not shake hands when meeting a potential new friend at a coffee shop. You might feel it shows respect for the other person, but to them it doesn’t show respect for the equal-ness of the relationship. (Of course, the trump card for all of this handshake business is: do shake hands with anyone that wants a handshake, regardless of the situation.)

4. The goal of rejecting compliments is to take the focus off of you and your abilities. The other person will likely emphasize the compliment again. No matter how many times you hear it, reject it.

5. If you’re single, ask and talk about what you like to do with someone who’s the same gender as you, unless you’re looking to start a romantic relationship with the other person.

6. If you’re married, ask and talk about what you like to do with someone who’s the same gender as you, unless your significant other is there with you. A married person of the opposite sex having this conversation might be misunderstood as wanting an external relationship.

7. Don’t make constant eye contact in the conversation. This can be read as defiance, arrogance or even disrespect.

8. Do make casual eye contact in the conversation. This implies you’re both paying attention and thinking about what they’re saying.

9. Don’t talk about religion , politics , sexuality or any other topic with polarized opinions. Your goal is to find a common ground to build your  guānxi on, not to find reasons for conflict. Also, do not talk about death .

10. Don’t verbally take the initiative to break the relationship out of  nǐn.   Leave that for the other person. Ultimately, they know more about the culture than you do.

11. If you’re meeting someone over food or drinks, do fight for the bill when it comes time to pay. This is important because it shows you aren’t just taking advantage of their generosity. However, do let them pay the bill. This is a way to “give face” or 给面子 (gěi miàn zi ).

12. Do not  ask how they are by saying 你好吗 ? ( nǐ hǎo ma ?), which is the literal translation of “How are you?” The English “How are you?” doesn’t translate well , and the “How are you?”—”Good, and you?”—”Good” exchange doesn’t happen in Chinese.

If you just act with self-awareness and cultural respect, Chinese people will be very impressed.

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How To Introduce Yourself In Chinese [Essential Phrases]

• Read time 12 mins

Knowing how to introduce yourself in Mandarin Chinese is essential.

Whether you’re forging new friendships, traveling to China, meeting new business partners, or going for a job interview, a good introduction will leave a good impression.

Beyond a simple hello, you may also want to equip yourself with other introductory phrases.

The context in which you introduce yourself obviously matters.

In this guide, I’ll cover some key phrases that will help you tackle self-introductions with more confidence and ease.

On top of that, understanding a thing or two about Chinese culture/etiquette will also give you an edge.

Etiquette when introducing yourself in Chinese

In Chinese culture, people don’t typically bow when greeting one another.

Instead, you’ll notice handshakes and nods being exchanged.

If it’s your first time meeting a stranger, it’s best to abstain from overly-friendly physical gestures, such as hugging or kissing on the cheek.

Though this may be common in other cultures, it’s rare in Chinese culture.

One of the most common ways to greet someone in China is with a quick handshake, the right amount of eye contact, and a warm smile. But if you’re meeting someone completely new or of a higher status, you may wish to wait for them to initiate the handshake before you go in for it.

And if they don’t, greet them with a polite nod instead.

In business and formal settings, allow your Chinese counterpart to initiate handshakes and try to introduce yourself with your full name. If business cards are exchanged, receive the other party’s card with both hands as a polite gesture.

Take a good look at it before storing it, as this conveys interest and respect. When handing over your business card, do it with both hands as well.

Key phrases to introduce yourself in Mandarin Chinese

Introductions don’t merely involve names.

You’ll likely start with a hello and your name. Moving on from that, you may also talk about your job, profession, where you’re from, or your age.

Any conversation is a two-way street, and the best introductions usually involve two people genuinely wanting to know each other better.

You won’t leave a good impression if you only talk about yourself the entire conversation!

Hence, we’ll also cover how you can ask for a person’s name, where they’re from, and what they’re currently doing.

After you’ve nailed the hellos (and goodbyes ), here’s are some key phrases to follow it up!

1. Telling people your name

After the hello, introductions usually start with an exchange of names.

You may ask for their name to break the ice. You can say 你叫什么名字(nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?), meaning “What’s your name?”

Another phrase you can use is 请问怎么称呼? (qǐngwèn zěnme chēnghu), meaning “How may I address you?”

Once they’ve given you their name, you may proceed with introducing yourself. To do so, you may use the phrase 我叫…, followed by your name. Other than that, you may also say 我的名字是… (wǒ de míngzi shì…), then your name.

If the person has asked for your name first, tell them your name, and you may then ask for theirs by saying, 你呢? (nǐ ne), which means “How about you?” The 你 means “you” while the 呢 is a questions particle in this context.

In business settings or formal situations, you may wish to use 您呢? (nín ne), where the 您 also carries the meaning “you” but is a formal, polite, and highly respectful way of addressing the other party.

If you’re meeting someone of a higher status, someone senior, your boss, or anyone you greatly respect and admire, then you should use 您 instead of the more casual 你.

In some settings, people would introduce themselves by their surname or last name. You can do the same by saying 我姓… (wǒ xìng…) followed by your last name.

2. Talking about your country of origin

If you’re a tourist or foreigner vising China, chances are, your Chinese friends and counterparts would be curious to know where you’re from.

They may also prompt you to talk a little more about your background and home country with the following questions:

These phrases have similar meanings and can be interchangeably used to ask the other person where they’re from or for their nationality.

You can then reply by saying 我是…人 (wǒ shì … rén).

You’ll insert your country into the phrase. For instance, if you’re from America, you can say 我是美国人 (wǒ shì měiguó rén). This means “I’m American.” or “I’m from America.”

If you’re in a slightly more formal setting, you can use the phrase 我来自… (wǒ lái zì…). If you’re from America, this would then be 我来自美国 (wǒ lái zì měiguó), which means “I am from America.”

Finally, your friends may be curious about where you’re currently based. The question you’ll come upon is 你住在哪里? (nǐ zhù zài nǎli), meaning “Where do you live?”

Of course, they’re not looking for your full address. What you could say is 我住在上海 (wǒ zhù zài shànghǎi), and this means “I live in Shanghai.” Replace the last two characters with your country or city of residence.

The following table lists some countries in Chinese.

3. Talking about what you currently do

You may need to talk a little about your job or career when meeting someone new.

On the flip side, you may also be interested in what the other party currently does for a living.

You may prompt them to talk a little more about their career pursuit by saying 你做什么工作? (nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?), meaning “What is your job?” Alternatively, you may also use the phrase 你的职业是什么? (nǐ de zhíyè shì shénme), which means “What is your occupation?”

You can also ask where they work by using the phrase 你在哪里工作? (nǐ zài nǎlǐ gōngzuò), meaning “Where do you work?”

You could then reply by saying something along the lines of 我是医生 (wǒ shì yī shēng), meaning “I am a doctor.” You’ll replace the last two characters with your profession or occupational identity.

If you’d like to be very proper, you can then say 我是一名医生 (wǒ shì yī míng yīshēng). Perhaps you’re currently studying. In this case, you can use the phrase 我是一名学生 (wǒ shì yī míng xuéshēng), which just means “I’m a student.”

In English, the “a” and “an” are commonly used before a noun. However, this would not be necessary for the Chinese language. The 一名 could be likened to the “a” or “an” in English. It’s best used when talking about occupations or professions.

You can still omit 一名, though, as it is not required to form a complete sentence.

Some native speakers may find that dropping the 一名 does not sound natural, so you may still wish to slot it into your sentence when talking about your profession.

Say the other party has asked you where you work. You can reply by saying 我在…工作 (wǒ zài … gōngzuò), which conveys the meaning “I work at…”

Perhaps you work at a café. In that case, you’ll say 我在咖啡店工作 (wǒ zài kāfēi diàn gōngzuò). Or if you work at a bank, you can then say 我在银行工作 (wǒ zài yínháng gōngzuò). Replace the middle of the phrase with the location of your workplace.

The following table lists some common occupations.

Hopefully, this will help you introduce your profession confidently in Mandarin Chinese!

4. Introducing your hobbies and favorite activities

Having similar interests and hobbies is definitely one way to jumpstart a new friendship. In any conversation, finding common ground would be a huge advantage.

If you’re curious about what the other party enjoys doing during their free time, you can prompt them to share their interests. There are several variations you can use to go about this. These phrases include:

When asked about your hobbies and interests, you can reply with 我的爱好是… (wǒ de àihào shì…), meaning “My hobby is…” You can also say 我喜欢 (wǒ xǐhuān), which means “I like to…”

Insert your favorite pastime and interest at the end of the phrase.

For instance, if you enjoy playing video games, you can say 我喜欢玩电子游戏 (wǒ xǐhuān wán diànzǐ yóuxì).

Here’s a table of some common hobbies and interests.

5. Talking about your family

In China, your conversation might touch a little on the topic of family.

Asking basic questions about someone’s family conveys genuine interest in getting to know the other person. Of course, there’s no need to ask very personal questions.

Just a few simple questions will do the trick.

When meeting a family friend or a relative for the first time, you may expect some questions about family to come your way.

Some questions related to the topic of family include the following:-

When asked about siblings, you can talk about the number of brothers or sisters you have.

For instance, you can say 我有一个哥哥 (wǒ yǒu yīgè gēgē), meaning “I have one older brother.” 一 in that phrase means “one,” while 哥哥 means “older brother.” You can replace those accordingly.

Another example would be 我有两个姐姐 (wǒ yǒu liǎng gè jiějiě), which means “I have two older sisters.”

If asked about how your parents are currently doing, you can say something along the lines of 我的父母还好 (wǒ de fùmǔ hái hǎo). This means, “My parents are doing alright.”

Say you’re asked 你结婚了吗? (Are you married?).

In that case, you can reply with 结婚了 (jiéhūnle), meaning “I’m married.” or 我单身 (wǒ dānshēn), which means “I’m single.” or “I’m not attached.”

Finally, you may be met with questions about your children, for example, the number of children you have.

You can reply with something along the lines of 我有一个女儿 (wǒ yǒu yīgè nǚ’ér), meaning “I have one daughter.”

If you have a son, you can say 我有一个儿子 (wǒ yǒu yīgè er zi).

Introducing yourself to someone new goes beyond a simple name exchange

By broadening your vocabulary and knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, you can introduce yourself to another person with more confidence.

Plus, one way to convey a genuine interest in getting to know the other party is to prompt them with relevant questions.

Without a doubt, the best conversations are a two-way street.

By learning a mix of questions and replies to use in such introductory discussions, you’ll definitely leave a positive and lasting impression!

Where to from here?

Follow this up with some awesome Chinese courses we’ve reviewed, as well as apps and books .

Or jump on italki and start introducing yourself to Chinese speakers now.

Which phrases do you typically use to introduce yourself?

Let me know in the comments below - especially if they haven’t been mentioned in this list.

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30+ Ways To Know How To Introduce Yourself In Chinese For Any Occasion

The ability to present yourself effectively forms the bedrock of successful communication, making it an indispensable tool in your linguistic arsenal.

If the question, 'How to introduce yourself in Chinese,' has been on your mind, you have arrived at the right place.

This comprehensive guide is designed to help you grasp the basics and understand the subtle nuances that make self-introduction in Chinese a fascinating skill to learn and master.

Whether you're starting with ' nǐ hǎo ' (你好) or are an advanced learner, this guide will provide invaluable insights that will have you impress your new Chinese friends. With consistent practice, patience, and this guide, you will soon be able to introduce yourself in Chinese easily and confidently.

Without further ado, let's get started!

Build up your Chinese vocabulary 📈 Level up your Chinese skills with Pandanese's SRS and mnemonic-powered flashcards Let’s get started

The script: how to introduce yourself in Chinese

Step 1. Say a Chinese greeting

Start any conversation with a friendly greeting. A common and versatile way to say "hello" in Chinese is 你好 ( Nǐ hǎo ), which translates to "you're good." It's equivalent to the English "hi" or "hello."

We actually have a whole article about greetings in Chinese, so take a look for a more in-depth conversation: Chinese Greetings—The Complete Guide to Greeting Anyone at Any Time in Chinese .

Here’s a common Chinese introduction script to say hi, your name, and where you’re from

Step 2. Say your name in Chinese

When asked, "What's your name?" in Chinese, you can reply with "我叫..." ( Wǒ jiào ... ) followed by your name. For example, " 我叫 威廉" ( Wǒ jiào Wēi lián ) means " My name is William."

For a more formal introduction, use "我的名字叫..." ( Wǒ de míngzi jiào ... ) before stating your name.

Alternatively, you can say, "我是..." ( Wǒ shì .. .) followed by your name, which translates to " I am .. ." and is an easier way to introduce yourself.

Then to ask for the other person's name, you can use "你呢？" ( nǐ ne ) for informal situations or “您呢？” ( nín ne ) for formal situations, both meaning "and you?"

Step 3. Express pleasure to meet them

After exchanging names, express your delight in meeting the person by saying "很高兴认识你" ( Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ ), which means "Nice to meet you." 

For a more formal setting, use "很高兴认识您" ( Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín ).

Remember to smile, maintain eye contact, and offer a firm handshake to show your friendliness and respect.

10 unique phrases to introduce yourself in Chinese

Mastering the art of 'how to introduce yourself in Chinese' is more than merely uttering your name or age. It's an integral step in Chinese culture as it's your first step to fostering relationships and earning mutual respect.

Next, let's move on to more complete ways that will help you complete a self-introduction.

In a general context, let's dive into 10 handy sentences that can equip you to introduce yourself in Chinese with finesse:

1. " Nǐ hǎo, wǒ de míngzi shì ..." (你好，我的名字是...)

Start with the basic greeting " nǐ hǎo " (你好), which means "hello." Then follow it up with " wǒ de míngzi shì " (我的名字是), meaning "my name is."

For example, " Nǐ hǎo, wǒ de míngzi shì Tom " translates to "Hello, my name is Tom."

2. " Wǒ lái zì... " (我来自...)

When you want to share where you're from, use " wǒ lái zì " (我来自) followed by your hometown or country.

If you are from America, you can say, " Wǒ lái zì Měiguó " (我来自美国).

3. " Wǒ shì yì míng ..." (我是一名...)

This phrase is perfect for stating your profession.

For instance, " Wǒ shì yì míng yīshēng " (我是一名医生) translates to "I am a doctor."

4. " Wǒ zài...xuéxí " (我在...学习)

To express where you're studying, use the phrase " wǒ zài...xuéxí " (我在...学习).

So if you're studying at Beijing University, you'd say, " Wǒ zài Běijīng dàxué xuéxí " (我在北京大学学习).

5. " Wǒ de àihào shì ..." (我的爱好是...)

This phrase is to share your hobbies. Say, " wǒ de àihào shì " (我的爱好是), followed by your hobby.

For example, " Wǒ de àihào shì tīng yīnyuè " (我的爱好是听音乐) means "My hobby is listening to music."

6. " Wǒ xìng ..." (我姓...)

In Chinese, the family name or surname comes first, which is why the phrase " wǒ xìng " (我姓), followed by your surname, is a crucial part of introductions.

For instance, " Wǒ xìng Li " (我姓李) translates to "My surname is Li."

7. " Wǒ zài...gōngzuò " (我在...工作)

This phrase allows you to share your work location. It can also be used to express the company that you are working at.

For example, " Wǒ zài Yīngguó gōngzuò " (我在英国工作) means "I work in England."

8. " Wǒ shì...suì " (我是...岁)

To share your age, use " Wǒ shì...suì " (我是...岁) and any Chinese numbers .

So if you're 25, you'd say, " Wǒ shì 25 suì " (我是25岁).

9. " Wǒ shì ..." (我是...)

" Wǒ shì " (我是) can also be used to specify your gender. " Wǒ shì nǚshēng " (我是女生) means "I am a female."

10. " Wǒ shì...rén " (我是...人)

Indicate your nationality using this phrase.

For example, " Wǒ shì zhōngguó rén " (我是中国人) means "I am a Chinese person."

General notes on Chinese introductions

Now that you have the basic information on how to introduce yourself in Chinese, it's crucial to understand cultural contexts.

a. Age plays an information rule.

In contrast to many Western cultures, it's not uncommon for someone to ask about your age early in a conversation. 

In Chinese society, age plays a pivotal role in defining the hierarchical structure of relationships, influencing the respect one should show to another. Consequently, such questions are optional but necessary for establishing rapport and respect.

b. Be patient and polite.

Patience and politeness are integral aspects of introducing yourself in Chinese.

Building a conversation requires time, so it's essential to exercise patience when trying to make a good impression. On the other hand, politeness can be reflected in how you listen attentively, show respect towards the other person's opinions, and express gratitude for their time and attention.

c. Be aware of any cultural sensitivity and insights.

Developing a basic understanding of Chinese culture will significantly improve your communication with Chinese friends. 

This understanding can range from knowing when to bow or shake hands, understanding how to address someone by their correct title, to showing appreciation for Chinese traditions and history.

d. Know the non-verbal cues.

Body language is another crucial factor to consider. Maintaining eye contact while speaking, giving affirmative nods to show that you are listening, and having a relaxed yet respectful posture can positively influence your interactions.

13 phrases to introduce yourself for a Chinese date

If you are preparing for a date and you want to introduce yourself in Chinese, here are 13 sentences to help you impress:

1. " Nǐ hǎo, hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ " (你好，很高兴认识你)

When introducing yourself on a date, this phrase adds a bit of charm to your greeting.

For example, " Nǐ hǎo, hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ " (你好，很高兴认识你) translates to "Hello, nice to meet you."

2. " Wǒ ài..., nǐ ne ?" (我爱...，你呢？)

This phrase is useful when you want to share your likes and ask your date about their preferences.

" Wǒ ài pǔtáojiǔ, nǐ ne? " (我爱葡萄酒，你呢？) translates to "I love wine, and you?"

3. " Wǒ lái zì..., nǐ ne? " (我来自...，你呢？)

Talking about where you come from can be a great conversation starter. " Wǒ lái zì Fǎguó, nǐ ne? " (我来自法国，你呢？) means "I come from France, and you?"

4. " Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yìqǐ cānguān zhège bówùguǎn " (我想跟你一起参观这个博物馆)

If you're planning to visit a museum with your date, you can say, " Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yìqǐ cānguān zhège bówùguǎn " (我想跟你一起参观这个博物馆), which means "I would like to visit this museum with you."

5. " Nǐ xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng ma? " (你喜欢看电影吗?)

This phrase is great for asking your date if they enjoy watching movies.

" Nǐ xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng ma? " (你喜欢看电影吗?) means "Do you like watching movies?"

6. " Nǐ xǐhuān tīng shénme yīnyuè? " (你喜欢听什么音乐?)

Music can be a great conversation starter. Use this phrase to ask your date what kind of music they like. It means, "What kind of music do you like?"

7. " Wǒ kěyǐ qǐng nǐ hē yì bēi kāfēi ma? " (我可以请你喝一杯咖啡吗?)

This phrase is perfect for inviting your date for a cup of coffee.

" Wǒ kěyǐ qǐng nǐ hē yì bēi kāfēi ma? " (我可以请你喝一杯咖啡吗?) translates to "May I invite you for a cup of coffee?"

8. " Wǒ kěyǐ qǐng nǐ wǎncān ma? " (我可以请你晚餐吗?)

This phrase is ideal for asking your date to dinner. It translates to "May I invite you for dinner?"

9. " Nǐ yǒu shénme tèbié de àihào? " (你有什么特别的爱好?)

Hobbies can tell a lot about a person. Use this phrase to ask about your date's unique hobbies. It means, "What special hobbies do you have?"

10. "Nǐ xǐhuān kàn shénme shū?" (你喜欢看什么书?)

This phrase can be useful if you are interested in your date's reading preferences. It translates to "What kind of books do you like?"

11. " Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? " (你叫什么名字?)

After introducing your name, you can also ask the other party for their name.

This phrase translates to "What is your name?"

12. " Nǐ zhù zài nǎli? " (你住在哪里?)

To know where someone is staying, you can ask them this phrase: "Nǐ zhù zài nǎli?" (你住在哪里?) which roughly translates to "Where do you stay?" 

If you ask this question through online dating platforms, the other person will likely reply with the city they stay in.

13. " Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò? " (你做什么工作?)

Asking a potential partner's profession is also common during the first date.

This sentence "你做什么工作?" translates to "What is your profession?"

Notes on Chinese dating etiquette

In the context of a date, understanding Chinese dating etiquette is vital. Men are often expected to take the lead in asking questions, planning the date, and paying the bill.

However, these expectations can vary based on personal preferences and modern dating norms. Politeness, honesty, and modesty are universally valued in the Chinese dating scene .

Avoid controversial topics, respect their customs and family, and show genuine interest in getting to know them.

a. Taking initiative

Men are often expected to take the lead in various aspects of the date. This action could involve asking questions to keep the conversation flowing, planning the date, and even paying the bill. However, these traditional expectations are not hard and fast rules and can vary based on personal preferences and modern dating norms.

b. Respect their customs and family:

Chinese culture holds family values in high regard. Therefore, it's essential to be respectful of their customs and family. This action could mean showing interest when they speak about their family or understanding their participation in traditional family gatherings and celebrations.

c. Show genuine interest:

Finally, show genuine interest in getting to know them. This action could involve asking about their hobbies using phrases like " Nǐ xǐhuān zuò shénme " (你喜欢做什么?), meaning "What do you like to do?" or expressing curiosity about their preferences in music, food, or books.

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9 professional phrases to introduce yourself in Chinese in a business setting

Understanding how to introduce yourself in Chinese in a business environment is crucial. Here are 10 business phrases to help introduce yourself and network:

1. " Nǐn hǎo, wǒ de míngzi shì... " (您好，我的名字是...)

Politeness is paramount in a professional setting. Use the formal " nǐn hǎo " (您好), meaning "hello," instead of the more casual " nǐ hǎo ."

For example, " Nǐn hǎo, wǒ de míngzi shì James " (您好，我的名字是James) translates to "Hello, my name is James."

2. " Wǒ shì...gōngsī de... " (我是...公司的...)

It's often important to mention your company affiliation and role within it.

So, " Wǒ shì Apple gōngsī de CEO " (我是Apple公司的CEO) translates to "I am the CEO of Apple."

3. " Wǒ zài...fēn gōngsī gōngzuò " (我在...分公司工作)

To specify your work location, use " Wǒ zài...fēn gōngsī gōngzuò " (我在...分公司工作).

For example, " Wǒ zài Zhōngguó fēn gōngsī gōngzuò " (我在中国分公司工作) means "I work in the China branch."

4. " Wǒ de gōngsī wèiyú... " (我的公司位于...)

To express the location of your company, use " Wǒ de gōngsī wèiyú... " (我的公司位于...).

For example, " Wǒ de gōngsī wèiyú Shànghǎi " (我的公司位于上海) means "My company is located in Shanghai."

5. " Wǒmén gōngsī zhuānyè yú... " (我们公司专业于...)

To express your company's area of expertise, use " Wǒmén gōngsī zhuānyè yú... " (我们公司专业于...).

For example, " Wǒmén gōngsī zhuānyè yú jìsuànjī kēxué " (我们公司专业于计算机科学) means "Our company specializes in computer science."

6. " Wǒmén gōngsī de zhǔyào chǎnpǐn shì... " (我们公司的主要产品是...)

When talking about your company's main product, use " Wǒmén gōngsī de zhǔyào chǎnpǐn shì... " (我们公司的主要产品是...).

For instance, " Wǒmen gōngsī de zhǔyào chǎnpǐn shì diànnǎo " (我们公司的主要产品是电脑) translates to "Our company's main product is computers."

7. " Wǒ de zhuānyè shì... " (我的专业是...)

When discussing your field of expertise, use " Wǒ de zhuānyè shì... " (我的专业是...).

For instance, " Wǒ de zhuānyè shì jìsuànjī kēxué " (我的专业是计算机科学) means "My specialty is computer science."

8. " Wǒ de yèwù fànchóu bāokuò... " (我的业务范畴包括...)

This phrase allows you to detail the scope of your work.

" Wǒ de yèwù fànchóu bāokuò... " (我的业务范畴包括...) translates to "My business scope includes..."

9. " Wǒ yǐqián gōngzuò zài... " (我以前工作在...)

This phrase allows you to discuss your past work experience.

It translates to "I used to work at..."

5 Chinese business etiquette notes

Navigating Chinese business introductions requires a blend of cultural knowledge, linguistic ability, and an understanding of professional etiquette .

Here are some critical points to consider while making business introductions:

a. Use formal language:

In Chinese business culture, formal language is often used to show respect. This action includes using formal versions of sentences, professional titles, and polite expressions.

Remember, the phrase " wǒ shì " (我是), meaning "I am," is usually followed by your professional title and full name.

b. Exchange of business cards:

Business cards are highly valued in China, and their exchange is a significant part of the introduction process. When receiving a business card, use both hands to show respect. Please take a moment to read it carefully before placing it in a cardholder or a safe place.

c. Respect the hierarchy:

Like the general cultural norm, age, and hierarchical position significantly influence interactions in Chinese business culture. Make sure to greet the senior-most person first and always show due respect to individuals with higher positions.

d. Achieve brevity and clarity:

While making self-introductions in business contexts, be concise and clear. Chinese business professionals appreciate brevity and directness. Hence, your introduction could include your name, your role, and the organization you represent, followed by a brief overview of your business goals.

e. Remember the importance of titles:

Chinese people often prefer being addressed by their titles instead of their first names, particularly in professional settings. Therefore, remember to use their correct titles, such as " lǎoshī " (老师) for a teacher or " zhǔrèn " (主任) for a director.

BONUS: Chinese vocabulary list related to introductions

General chinese introductions etiquette for first impressions.

Understanding Chinese culture can help when you introduce yourself in Chinese. Chinese people heavily value respect and formality during first-time introductions, which are usually accompanied by a handshake or, occasionally, a slight bow.

So, refrain from making prolonged eye contact as it might be perceived as challenging or disrespectful.

a. Emphasize respect

Expressing respect toward the other person is vital when introducing yourself in Chinese. This action can be done using polite phrases such as " qǐngwèn " (请问), which translates to "May I ask."

b. Practice humility

I n Chinese culture, humility is a prized trait. When introducing yourself, remember to downplay your achievements. Use phrases such as " wǒ hái zài xuéxí " (我还在学习), meaning "I am still learning," to express modesty.

c. Give compliments

Chinese culture encourages giving compliments during introductions. However, make sure your compliments are sincere and appropriately timed.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is the common response after a self-introduction.

Typically, after someone introduces themselves, the other person responds with " hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ " (很高兴认识你), which translates to "nice to meet you."

Is it common to mention your age during introductions in China?

In casual settings, it might be common, especially among young people. However, mentioning age is only typical if relevant in a professional or formal business setting.

Should I bow when introducing myself in China?

In China, a slight nod or bow is common when greeting someone, especially in a formal setting. However, a handshake is also acceptable, especially in business settings.

How should I introduce myself to a group in China?

When introducing yourself to a group in China, start by greeting everyone and then introduce yourself. Remember to maintain eye contact with everyone as you speak.

For example, " Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ de míngzi shì... " (大家好，我的名字是...), which translates to "Hello everyone, my name is..."

Should I use my English name or Chinese name when introducing myself?

That depends on the situation. If you introduce yourself to Chinese individuals who may have difficulty pronouncing foreign names, you should use a Chinese name.

However, using your English name with Chinese pronunciation is also acceptable.

Wrapping it up

Congratulations ! Whether it's to meet new friends, go on a date, or for professional networking, knowing how to introduce yourself in Chinese is an important step to making connections and building up how to speak Chinese with confidence.

Practice these phrases to impress your colleagues and impress them with your Chinese language skills.

Each step in learning Chinese brings you closer to understanding a fascinating culture, making new Chinese friends, and gaining a valuable skill that opens up a world of opportunities.

Jing You is a Chinese native who grew up in the Fujian province and soaked in the Chinese culture while living with her grandparents. She later moved to Singapore to pursue further education. However, she has always been passionate about the Mandarin language despite being in an environment that speaks English predominantly. She was involved in multiple Mandarin and Chinese culture programmes in schools, and brought this passion forward by tutoring elementary school students Mandarin in her adulthood.

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Top 7 ways for making self-introduction in Chinese

This lesson will teach you the 7 most common ways for making self-introduction in Chinese.

Let’s look at the following examples together, shall we?

    Wǒ xìng… 1. 我姓… My last name is…

Wǒ xìng Wáng. 我姓王。 My last name is Wang.    

Wǒ jiào… 2. 我叫… My first name is…

Wǒ jiào Xiǎohóng. 我叫小红。 My first name is Xiaohong.    

Wǒ jīnnián… suì. 3. 我今年…岁 This year I’m… years old.

Wǒ jīnnián èrshí suì. 我今年…岁。 This year I’m 20 years old.

    Wǒ lái zì… 4. 我来自… I’m from…

Wǒ lái zì Zhōngguó. 我来自中国。 I’m from China.

    Wǒ jiā yǒu… ge rén: … 5. 我家有…个 人：… My family has…members: …

Wǒ jiā yǒu sì ge rén: bàba, māma, dìdi hé wǒ. 我家有四个人：爸爸、妈妈、弟弟 和我。 My family has four members: dad, mum, young brother and me.

How to Talk About Your Family in Chinese?

    Wǒ shì yì míng… (zhíyè) 6. 我是一名…（职业） I’m a… (occupation)

Wǒ shì yì míng dàxuésheng. 我是一名大学生。 I’m a college student.

    Wǒ de àihào shì… 7. 我的爱好是… My hobbies are…

Wǒ de àihào shì chànggē, tiàowǔ hé lǚxíng. 我的爱好是唱歌、跳舞和旅行。 My hobbies are: singing, dancing and traveling.

Vocabulary:

职业 ( zhíyè ): n. occupation

爱好 ( àihào ): n. hobby How to Talk About Hobbies in Chinese?

旅行 ( lǚxíng ): n. travel A Step-by-Step Guide Video – How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese

Take a Quiz Now: Introducing Yourself – My Name Is Yao Ming. Bonus: Why Are Chinese Surnames So “贵(Guì)” Expensive? General Chinese (Beginner Level) General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

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Thank you for sharing this article regarding making self introduction in Chinese! Loving it!

Nihao, laoshi. I am learning Zhongwen and I find this article very useful. Now I can make self introduction in Chinese. Thx! But my question is: are there any other ways to make self introduction in Chinese?

I have an essay competition in Chinese characters. I hope this helps me get the award. thank you

Thank you for sharing this article

Hi Prantush. Thank you for the comment. I’m glad you like this article. (*^__^*)

Hello chinese

Excellent method!!!

Like to learn chinese

I keep getting the information that my ID is wrong

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Master Chinese Self-Introductions – The Casual & Formal Way!

In Beginner Tutorials , Common Chinese Questions , How to , Practical Chinese Phrases by Angel Huang March 9, 2023

Want to get better at introducing yourself in Chinese?

This lesson is for you!

Summary Of Self-Introductions  in Chinese  From The Video Above

Introduce yourself casually :.

hā lóu！ dà jiā hǎo！

Hello! Hi everyone!

wǒ jiào Angel ， zhōng wén míng jiào huáng tiān shǐ . nǐ men kě yǐ jiào wǒ tiān tiān .

我叫Angel，中文名叫黄天使. 你们可以叫我天天。

My name is Angel . My Chinese name is Huang Tianshi . You can call me Tiantian .

wǒ shì shàng hǎi rén . wǒ shì yú jiā chū jí zhě .

我是 上海人 。我是 瑜伽初级者 。

I'm Shanghainese . I am a beginner in yoga .

chú le zuò yú jiā ， wǒ hái xǐ huan hōng péi .

除了 做瑜伽 ，我还喜欢 烘培 。

Besides doing yoga , I also like to bake .

wǒ de péng you men dōu shuō wǒ zuò de tián diǎn hěn hǎo chī . xī wàng yǐ hòu yǒu jī huì ràng dà jiā lái cháng cháng wǒ zuò de tián diǎn .

我的朋友们都说 我做的甜点很好吃 。希望以后有机会 让大家来尝尝我做的甜点 。

My friends say my desserts are delicious . I hope that you will all have the chance to try my desserts in the future .

rèn shi dà jiā zhēn hǎo!

Nice to meet you!

Introduce yourself formally:

dà jiā hǎo！

wǒ xìng huáng . wǒ de míng zi jiào huáng tiān shǐ . nǐ men kě yǐ chēng hū wǒ huáng lǎo shī . wǒ shì jiào xué bù xīn lái de hàn yǔ lǎo shī .

我姓 黄 。我的名字叫 黄天使 。你们可以称呼我 黄老师 。我是 教学 部新来的 汉语老师 。

My surname is Huang . My name is Huang Tianshi . You can call me Ms. Huang . I am a new Chinese teacher in the teaching department.

wǒ lái zì zhōng guó shàng hǎi .

I am from Shanghai, China .

wǒ zài dà xué lǐ dú de zhuān yè shì duì wài hàn yǔ jiào yù .

我在大学里读的专业是 对外汉语教育 。

My major in university was teaching Chinese as a foreign language .

wǒ cóng shì hàn yǔ jiào xué gōng zuò shí duō nián le.

我从事 汉语教学 工作 十多 年了。

I have been teaching Chinese for more than ten years.

chú le hàn yǔ jiào xué ， wǒ hái duì lǐ cái tóu zī hěn gǎn xìng qù.

除了 汉语教学 ，我还对 理财投资 很感兴趣。

Besides teaching Chinese , I am also very interested in financial management and investment .

hěn gāo xìng rèn shí dà jiā.

Nice to meet you.

qǐng duō duō zhǐ jiào.

I appreciate your advice and guidance.

gǎn xiè dà jiā！

Thank you everyone!

You might also find these posts interesting:

23 Essential Chinese Question Words and 100 Super Common Questions to Fluency

What To Say When You Don’t Understand Someone In Mandarin Chinese

5 Funny Chinese Mistakes to Avoid – Chinese Pronunciation Lesson (Part 2)

How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese and Give a Decent First Impression

We live in a world where we constantly need to be building connections with new people, whether it’s for a business occasion, an interview, a new working place, or a new school…and we certainly like to leave a positive mark on the very first impression.

An appropriate self-introduction is one of the first steps for people to get to know you and it represents the gist of you. As a beginner in Chinese, the first thing you’ll probably want to master is the right way to introduce yourself, in order to make a decent impression.

China is a country that has been cultivated for thousands of years with a strong cultural background of its own. Undoubtedly, there are sets of rules for how to phrase things during a self-introduction in the Chinese language . “Introduction” in Chinese is 介绍 ( jiè shào ), and this article has incorporated the most quintessent and useful Chinese phrases for a decent 介绍. Now is the opportune time for you to study them!

Without further ado, let’s take a look at various greetings in Chinese along with situational Chinese phrases that are sure to help you as you navigate this interesting culture! Here are our suggestions and tips on introducing yourself in Chinese.

Table of Contents

• Introducing Basic Information and Identifying Yourself
• Placing Yourself in Society
• Personal Details
• Formal Phrases for Certain Occasions when You First Meet People
• Additional Tips for Introducing Yourself in China
• Bonus Questions

1. Introducing Basic Information and Identifying Yourself

• In Chinese: 我姓……
• Pinyin: Wǒ xìng…
• In English: “My last name is…”

In Chinese culture, when people first get to know you, they may not directly ask your name; instead, inquiring for your last name is more common. Interestingly, in order to pay you some respect, they may ask you: 您贵姓？( nín guì xìng? ), which literally means: “What is your noble last name?”. In this situation, you reply: 免贵姓王 ( miǎn guì xìng wáng ), which means: “To drop the noble, it is Wang.” In this example, we used 王 which is one of the most common Chinese last names. You can simply replace it with your own last name to reply. Please remember, it’s very important in Chinese culture to stay humble and use the phrase “to drop the noble.” Otherwise, they may form a negative impression of you.

Less formal:

• In Chinese: 我叫……
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiào …
• In English: “I am called…”
• In Chinese: 我是……
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì…
• In English: “I am…”
• In Chinese: 我的(中文)名字是……
• Pinyin: Wǒ de (zhōng wén) míng zi shì…
• In English: “My (Chinese) name is…”

To introduce yourself in Chinese is really straightforward. Simply say “hello” in Chinese, use any sentence pattern above, and add your name where the ellipsis is.

If you also have a name in Chinese, don’t forget to use these expressions to let your Chinese friends know! Talking about your name in Chinese is a vital and interesting part of the culture.

Don’t know how to write your name in Chinese ? Ask our teachers on this page . You can also learn more about Chinese names and surnames there!

• In Chinese: 叫我丽丽吧。
• Pinyin: Jiào wǒ lì lì ba.
• In English: “Just call me Lili.”

2- Nationality and Hometown

• In Chinese: 我来自美国。
• Pinyin: Wǒ lái zì měi guó.
• In English: “I come from the United States.”
• In Chinese: 我是一名日本人。
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī míng rì běn rén.
• In English: “I am a Japanese.”

名 is a classifier in Chinese for a certain identity. There are many other classifiers in Chinese and you’ll be able to learn more as you study the Chinese language in more depth. You can try to make another sentence for your own identity, as it’s not limited to nationality . 我是一名学生 ( wǒ shì yī míng xué shēng ) is another example, meaning “I am a student .”

• In Chinese: 我的家乡在四川。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de jiā xiāng zài sì chuān.
• In English: “My hometown is in Sichuan.”

Since Chinese people have a strong sense of belonging for identification for their hometowns, when you introduce yourself, 家乡 meaning hometown, may be a common question to be asked.

Here’s some information on talking about your age in Chinese.

• In Chinese: 我今年二十岁。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jīn nián èr shí suì.
• In English: “I am twenty years old this year.”

This is a formal expression for adults, plain and simple. You can also omit 岁 meaning “years old” for short, just like how we say in English “I am twenty”.

• In Chinese: 我今年有五岁啦!
• Pinyin: Wǒ jīn nián yǒu wǔ suì la!
• In English: “I am five years old this year!”

This is often said by a kid in a very childlike tone. If you’re a child, you may tell people your age in this manner innocently and with confidence. People will probably be amazed by how adorable and natural the way you say it is, especially if you’re a foreign child!

4- Where you Live

• In Chinese: 我住在北京。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zhù zài běi jīng.
• In English: “I live in Beijing.”
• In Chinese: 我家在北京。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā zài běi jīng.
• In English: “My house is in Beijing.”

在 means to be located in Chinese, while introducing locations, you can just simply put the subject before it and the location you wish introduce right after 在.

2. Placing Yourself in Society

1- Major and Profession

• In Chinese: 我的专业是会计。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de zhuān yè shì kuài ji.
• In English: “My major is accounting.”
• In Chinese: 我是一名律师。
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī míng lǜ shī.
• In English: “I am a lawyer.”

This is the same expression as we mentioned before. 一名 can also be utilized for introducing your identity in terms of your career . Keep this in mind when talking about your job or profession in Chinese.

2- Where you Work or Study

• In Chinese: 我在北京工作。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zài běi jīng gōng zuò.
• In English: “I work in Beijing.”
• In Chinese: 我在美国上学。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zài měi guó shàng xué.
• In English: “I study in the United States.”

3- Information about Family

• In Chinese: 我家里有四口人。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā lǐ yǒu sì kǒu rén.
• In English: “There are four people in my family.”
• In Chinese: 我家里有个妹妹/姐姐。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā lǐ yǒu gè mèi mèi /jiě jiě.
• In English: “I have a younger/older sister.”

In Chinese, a younger sister and an older sister are defined in specifically different forms. Definitely keep this in mind when talking about your family in Chinese—it’s important!

3. Personal Details

1- Describe Your Personality with a Few Words

• In Chinese: 我的性格……
• Pinyin: Wǒ de xìng gé…
• In English: “My personality is…”

There are many different words you can use when talking about your personality in Chinese, but for now we’re going to introduce only the most common ones:

• 活泼 ( huó pō ) meaning “bright”
• 开朗 ( kāi lǎng ) meaning “outgoing”
• 内向 ( nèi xiàng ) meaning “introvert”
• 外向 ( wài xiàng ) meaning “extrovert”
• 乐观 ( lè guān ) meaning “optimistic”

Here’s some information on talking about your hobbies in Chinese—this has the potential to be one of the best parts of your introductory conversation!

• In Chinese: 我的爱好是听音乐。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de ài hào shì tīng yīn yuè.
• In English: “My hobby is listening to music.”
• In Chinese: 我喜欢跳舞。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xǐ huān tiào wǔ.
• In English: “I like dancing.”

During more casual greetings in Chinese, you may find that pets come into the conversation (who doesn’t love to boast about their furry companion to friends?). Here’s a sample sentence you may find helpful to get you started.

• In Chinese: 我家有一只小狗/小猫。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā yǒu yī zhī xiǎo gǒu/xiǎo māo.
• In English: “I have a dog / cat at home.”

4- Future Plan

• In Chinese: 我打算以后……
• Pinyin: Wǒ dǎ suàn yǐ hòu…
• In English: “Later I am planning to…”

You can use this sentence to introduce many different things for your future, such as what job you want to have, where you plan on living, when you want to marry, etc.

5- How Long You’ve been Studying Chinese

While introducing yourself in Chinese, it may come as no surprise that someone will want to know how long you’ve been at this whole studying thing. Here’s an example of how you can answer.

• In Chinese: 我学习中文有两年了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xué xí zhōng wén yǒu liǎng nián le.
• In English: “It has been two years since I started to study Chinese.”

4. Formal Phrases for Certain Occasions when You First Meet People

1- business occasions.

• In Chinese: 跟高兴认识您/你。
• Pinyin: Hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nín /nǐ.
• In English: “I am glad to meet you.”
• In Chinese: 希望我们合作愉快。
• Pinyin: Xī wàng wǒ men hé zuò yú kuài.
• In English: “Hopefully we will pleasantly work together.”

It’s a good courtesy to offer to shake hands, or nod and bow a little at the same time, while saying both of the formal Chinese phrases above as a show of respect.

2- Introduce Yourself to Everyone in a New Working Place

• In Chinese: 大家好，我是一名新人，以后请大家多多指教。
• Pinyin: Dà jiā hǎo, wǒ shì yī míng xīn rén, yǐ hòu qǐng dà jiā duō duō zhǐ jiào.
• In English: “Hello everyone, I am new here, please guide and teach me in the future.”

“Please guide and teach me in the future” is a very common saying in Chinese for people who are new to a place and still need to learn and gain more experience. This phrase is often said to people who have more experience than they do in a certain field (though it can also be said as a show of humility). Instead of 大家, you can also use a special Chinese term 前辈 ( qián bèi ) meaning “people who have more experience than you,” to show how respectful you are.

5. Additional Tips for Introducing Yourself in China

1- stay humble.

If you ever talk to a native Chinese person, you’ll find out something interesting about them: They won’t directly take a compliment from people the way that western people do. In western culture, people will probably say “thank you” and naturally take the compliment as though they deserve it. Formal greetings in Chinese, especially, require a level of humility. So if you’re receiving a compliment from Chinese people during an introduction, there are two common ways you may reply to be seen as humble:

• In Chinese: 不敢当。
• Pinyin: Bú gǎn dāng.
• In English: “I can’t take that.”

It’ll sound even more humble in Chinese if you say this two times in a row, for example: 不敢当不敢当。

• In Chinese: 您过奖了。
• Pinyin: Nín guò jiǎng le.
• In English: “You are flattering me.”

您 means “you” in a respectful form. If the other person is almost the same age as you, you may remove it from the sentence or replace it with 你, meaning “you” without the respectful form.

2- Private Inquiries that should be Avoided (Income; Age for Mid-aged People)

There are some questions that should be avoided during a Chinese introduction, mainly subjects like income and age. Especially people who appear to be mid-aged, asking about age may be viewed as disrespectful towards them, which may cause some discomfort; Chinese people see getting old in a negative light.

6. Bonus Questions

Here are a couple of questions you may want to discuss while introducing yourself in Chinese with local Chinese people, These Chinese introductory phrases/questions may help you to get better acquainted during your meeting.

• In Chinese: 我的名字用中文怎么说呢？
• Pinyin: Wǒ de míng zì yòng zhōng wén zěn me shuō ne?
• In English: “How do you say my name in Chinese?”
• In Chinese: 你能用中文把我的名字写下来吗？
• In Pinyin: Nǐ néng yòng zhōng wén bǎ wǒ de míng zi xiě xià lái ma?
• In English: “Can you write my name in Chinese?”

7. Conclusion

Now you must have absorbed a great deal of knowledge regarding how to introduce yourself in Chinese . The Chinese introductory phrases that were incorporated in this article are just a basic guide for beginners, and if you wish to explore more Chinese culture and learn Chinese in more depth, be sure to check out our website at ChineseClass101.com . You’ll certainly harvest much more fruit in studying Chinese from our Wonderland!

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A very cranky language blogger dishing out brutal language tips.

How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese in 10 Lines

Want to speak Chinese? Yes? Good – keep reading. This is for those that truly want to learn the language. Here’s how you introduce yourself in Chinese in 10 easy lines … and this might take you 2 to 3 minutes or less. With this lesson…

• You get the Chinese, translations and romanizations.
• Read out loud to practice your speaking.
• Feel free to print this sheet out for extra review.

Here’s how you introduce yourself in Chinese. Let’s go.

And if you REALLY want to learn to Chinese with effective audio & video lessons by real teachers – Sign up at ChineseClass101 (click here) and start learning!

1) Hello, It’s nice to meet you.

Hello and Nice to meet you in Chinese are a must-know phrases. And any introduction will probably will start with these words.

• Hello, it’s nice to meet you.
• nínhǎo , hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ.

2) My name is _____.

This is simple. To say “my name is” in Chinese, you just need the phrase “Wǒ de míngzi shì.” Then say your name. For example, if the name is Lian, it would be like this…

• My name is Lian.
• Wǒ de míngzi shì lián.

3) I am from ______.

So, where are you from? America? Europe? Africa? Asia? Just stick the name of your country inside this phrase. We’ll use China as an example.

• I’m from China.
• Wǒ láizì Zhōngguó.
• 我来自中国。 我来自中国。

4) I live in ______.

What about now – where do you live? Just fill in the blank with the country or city (if famous) into this phrase. I’ll use Beijing as an example. You can use your own.

• I live in Beijing.
• Wǒ zhù zài Běijīng.

5) I’ve been learning Chinese for _____.

How long have you been learning Chinese for? A month? A year?

• I’ve been learning Chinese for a year.
• Wǒ xuéxí Zhōngwén yǐjīng yī nián le.
• 我学习中文已经1年了。 我学习中文已经1年了。

6) I’m learning Chinese at _____.

Where are you learning Chinese? At school? At home? This would be a great line to know and use when you’re introducing yourself. Here’s my example:

• I’m learning Chinese at ChineseClass101.com.
• Wǒ zài ChineseClassyīlíng yī .com wǎngzhàn xuéxí Zhōngwén.
• 我在ChineseClass101.com网站学习中文。

7) I am ____ years old.

Here’s how to say how old you are in Chinese.

• I’m 27 years old.
• Wǒ èrshíqī suì.

8) I am ______.

What about your position? Are you a student? Yoga teacher? Lawyer for the potato industry? Potato salesman? Super important question that people like to ask (and judge you about – Hey, I’m just a blogger! ). Just use “ani” meaning “I” and add your position.

• I’m a teacher.
• Wǒ shì yī míng jiàoshī.

9) One of my hobbies is _____.

Now, let’s move onto personal interests – hobbies! My hobbies are languages, linguajunkieing and such. How about you? You’ll definitely need this line when introducing yourself in Chinese.

Here’s an example to use:

• One of my hobbies is reading.
• Dúshū shì Wǒ de àihào zhīyī.

10) I enjoy listening to music.

Now, this is just another example line about your hobbies . You can use something else where.

• I enjoy listening to music.
• Wǒ xǐhuān tīng yīnyuè.

So now you know how to introduce yourself in Chinese in 10 lines. I’m sure there’s a ton more you can say – but this is an easy, simple start that any beginner can put to use. It’s all about starting easy.

See if you can introduce yourself below. Leave me a comment.

I read all comments!

Hope you enjoyed this!

– The Main Junkie

P.S. I highly recommend this for Chinese learners. If you REALLY want to learn to Chinese with effective lessons by real teachers – Sign up for free at ChineseClass101 (click here) and start learning!

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Self Introduction in Mandarin: Learn to Introduce Yourself in Mandarin

In a world becoming increasingly interconnected, learning a new language is an invaluable skill. Mandarin, one of the most widely spoken languages globally, is not only rich in culture but also opens up doors to endless opportunities. One essential aspect of effective communication in Mandarin is the art of self-introduction. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate learner, mastering the basics of self-introduction in Mandarin is a crucial step on your language learning journey. In this blog post, we will explore the fundamental elements of self-introduction in Mandarin and provide you with five practical examples to help you get started.

The Basics of Self-Introduction in Mandarin

Before diving into specific examples, it’s essential to understand the basic structure of a self-introduction in Mandarin. A typical self-introduction consists of a few key elements:

a. Greeting: Begin with a polite greeting. A common way to start is by saying “你好” (nǐ hǎo), which means “Hello.”

b. Name: Share your name by saying “我叫” (wǒ jiào), followed by your name. For example, “我叫玛丽” (wǒ jiào Mǎlì) means “My name is Mary.”

c. Age: Mention your age using the phrase “我今年” (wǒ jīnnián) followed by your age. For instance, “我今年二十岁” (wǒ jīnnián èrshí suì) means “I am twenty years old this year.”

d. Origin: You can tell others where you come from by saying “我来自” (wǒ láizì), followed by your place of origin. For example, “我来自美国” (wǒ láizì Měiguó) means “I am from the United States.”

e. Occupation: Share your occupation by using “我是” (wǒ shì), followed by your profession. For instance, “我是老师” (wǒ shì lǎoshī) means “I am a teacher.”

f. Hobbies and Interests: You can express your hobbies and interests by saying “我喜欢” (wǒ xǐhuān), followed by the activities you enjoy. For example, “我喜欢看书” (wǒ xǐhuān kàn shū) means “I like to read books.”

Self-Introduction in Chinese Mandarin Examples

Now that you have a grasp of the basic structure, let’s delve into five examples of self-introduction in Mandarin. These examples will cover a range of personal information, allowing you to adapt them to your specific circumstances.

Example 1: Simple Self-Introduction

• 你好，我叫王明。我今年二十五岁。我来自中国。我是学生。

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Wáng Míng. Wǒ jīnnián èrshíwǔ suì. Wǒ láizì Zhōngguó. Wǒ shì xuéshēng.

Translation: Hello, my name is Wang Ming. I am 25 years old. I am from China. I am a student.

Example 2: Self-Introduction with Hobbies

• 你好，我叫李华。我今年三十岁。我来自上海。我是医生。我喜欢看电影和旅行。

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Lǐ Huá. Wǒ jīnnián sānshí suì. Wǒ láizì Shànghǎi. Wǒ shì yīshēng. Wǒ xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng hé lǚxíng.

Translation: Hello, my name is Li Hua. I am 30 years old. I am from Shanghai. I am a doctor. I like watching movies and traveling.

Example 3: Self-Introduction with Family Information

• 你好，我叫陈小龙。我今年四十岁。我来自广州。我是工程师。我有一个妻子和两个孩子。

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Chén Xiǎolóng. Wǒ jīnnián sìshí suì. Wǒ láizì Guǎngzhōu. Wǒ shì gōngchéngshī. Wǒ yǒu yīgè qīzi hé liǎng gè háizi.

Translation: Hello, my name is Chen Xiaolong. I am 40 years old. I am from Guangzhou. I am an engineer. I have a wife and two children.

Example 4: Self-Introduction for Business Context

• 你好，我叫李明。我今年三十五岁。我来自北京。我是企业家。我喜欢做生意和交朋友。

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng. Wǒ jīnnián sānshíwǔ suì. Wǒ láizì Běijīng. Wǒ shì qǐyèjiā. Wǒ xǐhuān zuò shēngyì hé jiāo péngyǒu.

Translation: Hello, my name is Li Ming. I am 35 years old. I am from Beijing. I am an entrepreneur. I enjoy doing business and making new friends.

Example 5: Self-Introduction for Casual Social Situations

• 你好，我叫王丽。我今年二十八岁。我来自台北。我是自由职业者。我喜欢音乐和美食。

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Wáng Lì. Wǒ jīnnián èrshíbā suì. Wǒ láizì Táiběi. Wǒ shì zìyóu zhíyè zhě. Wǒ xǐhuān yīnyuè hé měishí.

Translation: Hello, my name is Wang Li. I am 28 years old. I am from Taipei. I am a freelancer. I like music and food.

Additional Tips for Effective Self-Introductions

Now that you’ve seen these self-introduction examples, here are some additional tips to enhance your Mandarin self-introduction skills:

a. Politeness Matters: Be sure to include polite phrases such as “你好” (nǐ hǎo) and “谢谢” (xièxiè) for “thank you.” Politeness goes a long way in Chinese culture.

b. Tone and Pronunciation: Mandarin is a tonal language, so correct pronunciation is crucial. Pay attention to the tones of words to convey your message accurately.

c. Practice with Native Speakers: Conversing with native speakers can help you refine your self-introduction skills and provide feedback on your pronunciation and usage.

d. Be Prepared to Answer Questions: After introducing yourself, you may be asked questions about your background, interests, or more. Be ready to respond confidently.

e. Keep It Concise: While it’s important to provide relevant information, try to keep your self-introduction concise and to the point, especially in casual social situations.

f. Body Language: Non-verbal cues such as smiling, maintaining eye contact, and offering a handshake (when appropriate) can enhance your self-introduction.

Mastering self-introduction in Mandarin is a valuable skill for anyone looking to connect with Mandarin speakers, whether for business, travel, or personal relationships. With these examples and tips, you can confidently introduce yourself and start meaningful conversations in Mandarin. Remember that practice and patience are key to improving your language skills, so don’t hesitate to use these self-introduction examples as a starting point and build upon them as you continue your language journey. Learning Mandarin is not only about mastering the language but also about embracing the rich culture and heritage it represents. Start with a friendly “你好,” and let your Mandarin self-introduction lead you to exciting and rewarding experiences.

Drew is the creator of myselfintroduction.com, designed to teach everyone how to introduce themselves to anyone with confidence in any situation.

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Learn Mandarin Chinese In Five Minutes

A new word a day. it is as simple as that., how to introduce yourself in mandarin chinese.

Self introduction is unavoidable unless you are anti-social, private or have the fear of meeting people. As we meet new people every day, we will somehow need to introduce ourselves whether we like it or not. We can be meeting people in school, at work or during formal and informal gatherings. As such, making a good first impression is very crucial, especially for business. It is a make or break kind of situation. If your first impression is bad, the business relationship will not even happen. Thus, we need to make an effort in self introduction to make the first impression last.

Formal and informal introduction

Self introduction to friends and business introduction are two completely different things. This is especially so when you are doing introducing yourself in Mandarin Chinese. For business, you need to use formal Chinese as oppose to colloquial Chinese when you are introducing yourself. For example, during a formal introduction setting, you cannot use 你 but should use 您. You also need to know the order of introduction in a formal setting. Who should make the introduction first? Senior or Junior? Higher ranking person or lower ranking person? Men or women? Should you shake hands or should you bow? We will dealt with all of these issues at the later part of this post.

Introducing yourself to a new friend (informal) in Mandarin Chinese

In an informal setting, you can use colloquial Chinese which we use in our daily conversation with friends and family.

Breaking the ice

When introducing yourself in an informal setting, the most commonly used sentence is   我叫 … . (Wǒ jiào….My name is….), or you can also say   我 是 … (Wǒ shì ….I am …) or   我的名字叫 … ( Wǒ de míngzì jiào … My name is …).

Short introduction of yourself

你好 ，我叫彼得。很高兴认识你！ Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào bǐ dé. Hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ! Hello, my name is Peter. Nice to meet you!

Long introduction of yourself

If you want to provide more information about yourself to your new friends, you can include some information about your family, your hobbies, your occupation, where you are from etc.

Telling people where you are from

我是美国人。 Wǒ shì měi guó rén I am American

Telling people about your family

我家有四口人，爸爸，妈妈，一个妹妹和我。 Wǒ jiā yǒu sì kǒu rén, bàba, māmā, yī gè mèimei hé wǒ. There are four people in my family. My father, mother, one younger sister and I.

Telling people about your occupation

我是北京大学的留学生。 Wǒ shì běijīng dà xué de liú xué shēng. I am a foreign student at Beijing University.

Telling people about your hobbies

我有很多爱好。我最大的爱好是踢足球。 Wǒ yǒu hěn duō ài hào.  wǒ zuì dà de ài hào shì tī zú qiú. I have many hobbies.  My greatest passion is to play football.

Self introduction in an informal setting

你好。我是大卫(偉)。我今年二十二岁(歲)。我是英国(國)人。我家有五口人，爸爸，妈妈(媽媽)，两个(個)哥哥和我。我是留学(學)生。我有很多爱(愛)好，我最喜欢(歡)的是旅游。很高兴(興)认识(認識)你们(們)。

Nǐ hǎo. Wǒ shì dà wěi. Wǒ jīn nián èr shí’èr suì. Wǒ shì yīng guó rén. Wǒ jiā yǒu wǔ kǒu rén, bàba, māmā, liǎng gè gēgē hé wǒ. Wǒ shì liú xué shēng. Wǒ yǒu hěn duō ài hào, wǒ zuì xǐ huān de shì lǚ yóu. Hěn gāo xìng rèn shì nǐ men.

Hello. My name is David. I am 22 years old this year. I am British. There are 5 people in my family. My father, mother, 2 older brothers and I. I am a foreign exchange student. I have many hobbies, and my favourite is travel. Very happy to meet all of you. s

Introduction in a formal setting

Introducing yourself or introducing others in a formal setting will require you to use formal form of Chinese words and or Chinese phrases. You will need to be more conscious of the way you speak and act, unlike in an informal setting.

您好。我是ABC公司的陈凯(凱)，很荣(榮)幸见到您。这(這)是我的名片。 Nín hǎo. Wǒ shì ABC gōng sī de chén kǎi, hěn róng xìng jiàn dào nín. Zhè shì wǒ de míng piàn. Hello. I am Chen Kai from ABC company. It is my pleasure to meet you. This is my name card.

How to introduce yourself in a formal setting

When doing an introduction in a formal setting, you can start by saying the company name followed by your full name and vice versa. Normally, you will need to mention the department you are working in and your title. Take for example,

您好，我叫陈凯(凱)，是ABC贸(貿)易公司电脑(電腦)部的业务经(業務經)理. Nín hǎo, wǒ jiào chén kǎi, shì ABC mào yì gōng sī de yè wù jīng lǐ. Hello, my name is Chen Kai. I am the business manager of the computer department of ABC Trading Company.

Order or sequence in formal setting

In China, the host will first introduce themselves to the guest. During introduction, the sequence and order is according to what we have shown below:

• To introduce the younger or lower rank person to the higher rank or senior person.
• To introduce the men to the ladies if they are of the same age. If there is a senior in the midst, you will need to introduce the ladies to the senior first to show respect to the senior person.
• If you choose to shake hands, the lower rank / younger person will have to wait for the higher rank / senior person to reach out first before you can reach out to shake the hand. And, men should wait for the ladies to reach out their hands first before they can shake the hand. If the senior chose to bow rather than shake hands, you should do the same.
• Always use both hands when passing your name card to the other party. Using only one hand is considered to be rude in the Chinese culture.

Whether you are introducing yourself in Mandarin Chinese formally or informally, so long as you are polite and in your best behaviour, you should be fine.  Just remember to smile and reduce unnecessary talk, you will definitely leave a good impression. Practice using the above sentence structure and you will have no problem introducing yourself to new friends or business acquaintances.

Visit our youtube channel for a video teaching you how to introduce yourself in Chinese.

Privacy Overview

How to introduce yourself in Chinese

One of the first things you need to learn in Chinese is how to introduce yourself and let people know a little bit about you. In this post I’ll cover all this and more.

Table of Contents

Hello / 你好 / nǐ hǎo

你 nǐ 好 hǎo (nǐ hǎo) is the most straightforward way to introduce yourself in Chinese, and is the equivalent of saying “hello” in English. You will also see this written as 你 nǐ 好 hǎo 吗 ma (nǐ hǎo ma) , not the difference here is that the 吗 ma (ma) character has been added to the end. The difference here is that 你 nǐ 好 hǎo (nǐ hǎo) means “hello” and 你 nǐ 好 hǎo 吗 ma (nǐ hǎo ma) is the equivalent of “how are you?”

你 nǐ 好 hǎo nǐ hǎo Hello

You can use 你 nǐ 好 hǎo (nǐ hǎo) in almost any situation, however you should be aware of a slight variation which is 您 nín 好 hǎo (nín hǎo) . Here 您 nín (nín) means “you” but is the polite equivalent 你 nǐ (nǐ) . Examples of when to use 你 nǐ 好 hǎo (nǐ hǎo) include

• Greeting someone who is older such as an elder or teacher
• Greeting someone who is of a senior rank, for example meeting the company CEO
• Meeting someone in a formal situation, for example greeting a guest from another company
• Meeting someone you don’t know where it is apparent they are older or more senior to yourself

Be careful when using 您 nín 好 hǎo (nín hǎo) as it is formal and definitely makes the situation less casual.

Children might use 您 nín 好 hǎo (nín hǎo) more than adults, however for children it is more common to greet people by their title, so for example:

• Hello elder brother 姐姐好 (jiějiě hǎo)
• Hello elder sister 哥哥好 (gēgē hǎo)
• Hello auntie 阿姨好 (āyí hǎo)
• Hello uncle 叔叔好 (shūshu hǎo)
• Hello grandfather 爷爷好 (yéyé hǎo)
• Hello grandmother 奶奶好 (nǎinai hǎo)

My name is / 我叫 / wǒ jiào

我 wǒ 叫 jiào (wǒ jiào) The most simple way to tell someone your name. The way to use this is to say something like:

e e m m > > 我 wǒ 叫 jiào M M i i k k e e wǒ jiào Mike My name is Mike

As Chinese may have some difficulty pronouncing your English name, I suggest you look up it’s Chinese equivalent on my posts here:

• How to say male names in Chinese
• How to say female names in Chinese

Be sure to also check out my post on how to address people in Chinese .

Here is a break down of 我 wǒ 叫 jiào (wǒ jiào )

What is your name? / 你叫什么名字？ / nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?

你 nǐ 叫 jiào 什 shén 么 me 名 míng 字 zi (nǐ jiào shénme míngzì) is a reasonably casual way of asking someone their name and literally means “What are you called?” You can use 你 nǐ 叫 jiào 什 shén 么 me 名 míng 字 zi (nǐ jiào shénme míngzì) in combination with saying hello and telling the other person your name, for example:so for example:

你 nǐ 好 hǎo ， , 我 wǒ 叫 jiào M M i i k k e e 。 . 你 nǐ 叫 jiào 什 shén 么 me 名 míng 字 zi ？ ? nǐ hǎo，wǒ jiào Mike. nǐ jiào shénme míngzì Hi, my name is Mike. What is your name?

Here is word-by-word break down of 你 nǐ 叫 jiào 什 shén 么 me 名 míng 字 zi (nǐ jiào shénme míngzì) :

As you can see from the break down, this is equivalent to English, albeit with a slight change in word order.

How do I address you? / 怎么称呼你？ / zěnme chēnghu nǐ?

怎 zěn 么 me 称 chēng 呼 hu 你 nǐ (zěnme chēnghu nǐ) is best used when you are unsure of how to address someone. Broken down this literally means “how (do I) address you?”:

Here are some sample answer could expect to asking someone 怎么称呼你 (zěnme chēnghu nǐ) :

What nationality are you (which country are you from)? / 你是哪国人？/ nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén (nǐ shì nǎ guórén) is a very common question people will ask of foreigners and thus is a question you will get good at answering. Equally if you are in China, it is unlikely you will need to ask someone where they are from, as the answer is probably obvious. here is 你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén (nǐ shì nǎ guórén) broken down word-for-word:

As you can see, broken down 你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén (nǐ shì nǎ guórén) is a straight forward translation.

To answer 你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén (nǐ shì nǎ guórén) , you should say

I am <nationality> / 我是<nationality>人 / wǒ shì <nationality> rén

我 wǒ 是 shì <country>人 ( wǒ shì <country> rén ) is the most appropriate way to tell which country you’re from. To use this phrase you simply insert the Chinese name of the country you are from, for example:

In Chinese, to turn a country into a nationality, you simply add 人 (rén) after the Chinese name of the country, thus:

• China 中 Zhōng 国 guó (zhōngguó rén)”] becomes Chinese 中 Zhōng 国 guó 人 rén (zhōngguó rén)
• America 美 Měi 国 guó (měiguó) becomes American 美 Měi 国 guó 人 rén (měiguó rén)
• Canada 加 Jiā 拿 ná 大 dà (jiānádà) becomes Canadian 加 Jiā 拿 ná 大 dà 人 rén ( jiānádà rén)
• Australia 澳 Aò 洲 zhōu (àozhōu) becomes Australian 澳 Aò 洲 zhōu 人 rén (àozhōu)
• Indian 印 Yìn 度 dù (yìndù) becomes Indian 印 Yìn 度 dù 人 rén (yìndù rén)
• Britain 英 Yīng 国 guó (yīngguó) becomes British 英 Yīng 国 guó 人 rén yīngguó rén )

If your country isn’t in the short list above, check out my post on Country Names in Chinese .

Note that someone saying they are Chinese 美 Měi 国 guó 人 rén (měiguó rén) refers to their nationality, not ethnicity. Someone who is ethnically Chinese but is not a citizen of China is called a 华 Huá 人 rén (huárén) .

Where are you from? / 你从哪里来？ / nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái?

你 nǐ 从 cóng 哪 nǎ 里 lǐ 来 lái (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái) is a common question you will hear or may use to ask where someone is from. This is different to 你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén (nǐ shì nǎ guórén) , which was asking someone what their nationality. 你 nǐ 从 cóng 哪 nǎ 里 lǐ 来 lái (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái) could be answered with:

• the country you are from, but necessarily you nationality
• the state or province you’re from
• the city your from

Here is a break down of 你从哪里来 (nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái) :

Here are some examples:

What do you do? / 你做什么工作?  / nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?

你 nǐ 做 zuò 什 shén 么 me 工 gōng 作 zuò (nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò) is the way you ask someone what they do. Here is a direct translation:

As with English, 你 nǐ 做 zuò 什 shén 么 me 工 gōng 作 zuò (nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò) , is a common part of small talk when getting to know someone.

I’m a ___ / 我是 / wǒ shì

我是 (wǒ shì) is an easy way to say “I am”, which can be used to answer the above question 我 wǒ 是 shì 工 gōng 程 chéng 师 shī 。 .

Note that in some cases you place a classifier, otherwise known as a measure word, in front of the profession, so rather than say “I am student” 我 wǒ 是 shì 学 xué 生 sheng ( wǒ shì xuéshēng) it is more correct to say “I am a student” 我 wǒ 是 shì 个 gè 个 gè 学 xué 生 sheng ( wǒ shì yī gè xuéshēng) , where “一个” means “one”.

Check out my post on how to address people in Chinese for more details on professions and how to address people. If you want to know more about classifiers, please take a look at my post Chinese Classifiers: What are they and how to use them as well as my  complete list of Mandarin Chinese classifiers and measure words .

A sample dialogue for introducing yourself in Chinese

To put this together I thought it would be useful to show you sample dialogue of introductions in Chinese:

你 nǐ 好 hǎo 。 . nǐ hǎo. Hello.

你 nǐ 好 hǎo ， , 我 wǒ 叫 jiào M M i i k k e e 。 . 怎 zěn 么 me 称 chēng 呼 hu 你 nǐ ？ ? nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Mike. Zěnme chēnghu nǐ? Hi, I’m (called) Mike. How should I address you?

我 wǒ 叫 jiào 老 lǎo 王 wáng 。 . 你 nǐ 是 shì 哪 nǎ 国 guó 人 rén ？ ? wǒ jiào lǎo wáng. Nǐ shì nǎ guórén? I’m old Wang. Which country are you from?

我 wǒ 是 shì 美 Měi 国 guó 人 rén 。 . 你 nǐ 从 cóng 哪 nǎ 里 lǐ 来 lái ？ ? wǒ shì měiguó rén. nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái? I’m American. Where are you from?

我 wǒ 是 shì 北 Běi 京 jīng 人 rén 。 . 你 nǐ 做 zuò 什 shén 么 me 工 gōng 作 zuò ？ ? wǒ shì běijīng rén. Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò? I’m from Beijing. What do you do (job)?

我 wǒ 是 shì 一 yī 个 gè 学 xué 生 sheng ， , 你 nǐ 呢 ne ？ ? wǒ shì yīgè xuéshēng， nǐ ne? I’m a student， (how about) you?

我 wǒ 是 shì 工 gōng 程 chéng 师 shī 。 . wǒ shì gōngchéngshī. I’m an engineer.

Wrapping it up

I hope this has been useful, be sure to also check out my post on the Top 25 Chinese phrases for tourists tourists to help build you Chinese vocabulary.

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Beginner Chinese – Self-Introduction Posted by sasha on Feb 21, 2013 in Vocabulary

When learning a new language, one of the first things you need to learn how to do is introduce yourself. It’s also a good idea to learn how to ask questions to others so you can get to know them. Today I’ll provide a basic guide for how to do so.

• Q: What’s your name? (你叫什么名字？nǐ jiào shén me míng zì)

A: My name is… (我叫… – wǒ jiào…) OR (我的名字是… – wǒ de míng zì shì…)

This is a very common and informal way to ask someone’s name. Both answers can be used, but it’s probably easier and more common to use the first one. Sometimes, less is more. This is the equivalent of asking someone’s first name in English.

• Q: What’s your surname? (您贵姓? – nín guì xìng)

A: My surname is… (我姓… –  wǒ xìng…)

This is a more formal and polite way to ask someone’s name. Note the use of 您 as opposed to 你 – it is a more formal way to say “you” in Chinese. Think when you’re talking to an elder, a teacher, or someone you should show respect to.

• Q: Which country are you from? (你是哪国人? – nǐ shì nǎ guó rén)

A: I’m from… (我是… 人 – wǒ shì… rén)

Since you’re a foreigner in China, this is the most common way someone will ask you where you’re from. To answer, simply insert the Chinese name for your country into the phrase “我是… 人.” For example, I would answer “ I’m American ” (我是美国人 – wǒ shì měi guó rén).

• Q: Where are you from? (你是哪里的人 – nǐ shì nǎ lǐ de rén)

A: I’m from… (我是… 的 – wǒ shì… de)

This is the question you can ask a Chinese person to find out where they are from in this massive country. You may hear an answer like, “ I’m a Beijinger ” (我是北京的 – wǒ shì běi jīng de).

• Q: What’s your job? (你做什么工作? – nǐ zuò shén me gōng zuò)

A: I’m a/an… (我是… – wǒ shì…)

Just learn the Chinese word for your job title and add it to the end of your answer. For example, “ I’m an English teacher ” (我是英语老师 – wǒ shì yīng yǔ lǎo shī). This post I wrote about my job includes in Chinese should help you learn to talk about yours.

• Q: How old are you? (你多大? – nǐ duō dà)

A: I’m… years old. (我… 岁 – wǒ… suì)

To answer this one, just insert the number for your age. As for myself, I’d currently answer, “‘ I’m 27 years old ” (我二十七岁 – wǒ èr shí qī suì). Of course, you might not want to ask a lady older than you for her age. It’s not such a stigma here in China as it is in Western cultures, but it is catching on a little and some women might not want to answer this one.

• Q: How many people are in your family? (你家有几个人? – nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ gè rén)

A: There are… people in my family. (我家有… 个人 – wǒ jiā yǒu… gè rén)

Just add the number of people into the middle of the sentence. To answer this question, I say, “ There are 9 people in my family ” (我家有九个人 – wǒ jiā yǒu jiǔ gè rén). To learn more detailed vocabulary and grammar structures for talking about family, you can read this post I made in Chinese about my family .

• Q: Are you married? (你结婚了吗? – nǐ jié hūn le ma)

A: Yes, I’m married. (我结婚了 – wǒ jié hūn le); No, I’m not. (没有 – méi yǒu)

• Q: Do you have children? (你有孩子吗? – nǐ yǒu hái zi ma)

A: Yes, I do. (有 – yǒu); No, I don’t. (没有 – méi yǒu)

If you do have kids, you might want to learn a few more words, such as “ son ” (儿子 – Ér zi) and “ daughter ” (女儿 – nǚ’ér).

• Q: What are your hobbies? (你的爱好是什么? – nǐ de ài hào shì shén me)

A: My hobbies are… (我的爱好是… – wǒ de ài hào shì…)

Of course there are tons of words you could learn on the topic of hobbies. To help you out more with that one, here’s an article I wrote in Chinese about my hobbies .

All of the information from this post condensed into a short video.

Well, there you go. Use these questions and practice introducing yourself. Get out there and meet someone else who speaks Chinese and try them out. Once you’ve introduced yourself and met a new person, you can say “ I’m pleased to meet you ” (我很高兴认识你 – wǒ hěn gāo xìng rèn shi nǐ). To review all of the vocabulary and phrases from this post, check out a post I made a while back introducing myself in Chinese .

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

About the Author: sasha

Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.

Thanks a lot!

I had a meeting with clients from Shanghai and I followed your video to introduce myself in Chinese to them. It really went the distance! You made it really easy to follow. Thanks again!

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quiet clear for beginners.xiexie

Good job this really helped me I am so impressed that you have such fluent Chinese appreciate the work done

Anand Kumar:

It was very best and simple self introduction in Chinese. I get much Knowledge from that. xie xie

way of this teach is very useful to me .hope I can get more chance to listen more here .

I like the introduction. Its very clear and simple.

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Basic Greetings and Self-Introduction in Chinese

Greetings and self-introductions are the cornerstone of effective communication in any language. In Mandarin Chinese, understanding how to greet someone and introduce yourself can open doors to meaningful interactions and cultural connections. In this post, we’ll explore the fundamental basics of greetings and self-introduction in Chinese, equipping you with the essential phrases to start conversations confidently.

Table of Contents

**1. Greetings:**

**你好！(Nǐ hǎo!) – Hello!** A versatile greeting suitable for all situations.

**早上好！(Zǎo shàng hǎo!) – Good morning!** Used in the morning until around 11 AM.

**下午好！(Xià wǔ hǎo!) – Good afternoon!** Appropriate for the afternoon hours.

**晚上好！(Wǎn shàng hǎo!) – Good evening!** Used in the evening from around 6 PM.

**再见！(Zàijiàn!) – Goodbye!** A common way to say farewell.

**2. Self-Introduction:**

**我叫[Your Name]。(Wǒ jiào [Your Name].) – My name is [Your Name].** A simple and direct way to introduce yourself.

**我是[Your Nationality]人。(Wǒ shì [Your Nationality] rén.) – I am [Your Nationality].** Mention your nationality to foster cultural exchange.

**我来自[Your Country/Place]。(Wǒ láizì [Your Country/Place].) – I come from [Your Country/Place].** Share where you’re from to initiate conversations.

**很高兴认识你！(Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ!) – Nice to meet you!** Express your pleasure in making someone’s acquaintance.

**3. Polite Phrases:**

**请问，你好吗？(Qǐngwèn, nǐ hǎo ma?) – Excuse me, how are you?** A polite way to inquire about someone’s well-being.

**不好意思，我能问一下，这是什么？(Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ néng wèn yíxià, zhè shì shénme?) – Excuse me, can I ask what this is?** Useful when seeking information or clarifications.

**4. Cultural Tip:**

Remember, addressing people using their titles (先生 – xiānshēng for Mr. and 女士 – nǚshì for Mrs./Ms.) adds a respectful touch to your interactions.

Mastering basic greetings and self-introductions is a crucial step toward effective communication in Mandarin Chinese. These phrases provide you with a strong foundation to initiate conversations, show respect, and foster connections with native speakers. By using these phrases with sincerity, you’ll not only bridge the language gap but also demonstrate your genuine interest in the Chinese language and culture. Happy learning!

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How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese for Interview

Posted by Lilian Li 27864

Generally, you’ll be invited to introduce yourself by interviewer at the beginning of the interview. In our previous article, we have told you how to make a brief introduction of yourself in Chinese in relatively informal situations, but in the interview, you should present yourself more formal and polite. In this article, you’ll learn how to make a simple and compelling self-introduction in Chinese Mandarin fluently.

nǐ hǎo /nín hǎo 你好/您好 Hello

zǎo shàng hǎo /xià wǔ hǎo 早上好/下午好 Good Morning/Good Afternoon

gè wèi kǎo guān ，nǐ men hǎo 各位考官，你们好。 Hello, examiners.

Basic Information

wǒ jiào XX 我叫XX(你的姓名) My name is XX (Your full name)

wǒ lái zì XX 我来自XX (你的国家) I’m from XX (Your country)

jīn nián XX suì 今年XX 岁(年龄) I am XX years old (Your age)

Education Background

yú XX nián bì yè yú XX xué xiào XX zhuān yè, XX xué lì. 于XX年毕业于XX(学校名称)学校XX(专业名称)专业，XX(学历名称)学历。 I’m graduated from XX (School name) school XX (specialty name) specialty, XX(degree name) degree

céng huò dé guò XX 曾获得过XX(奖项列举)。 My awards include XX. (List the major awards in your school life.)

Work Experience and Skills

There is no strict format of work experience Chinese phrase, you just feel free to show the real you. Depending on your work experience, write your occupational history, good performance and successful case down, then translate it into Chinese, and remember it. Be honest and brief, just tell the interviewer your work experience and skills in Chinese when the question comes.

Expect Job and Why Should They Hire You

wǒ xī wàng kě yǐ huò dé yī fèn hé XXyǒu guān de gōng zuò, yīn wéi wǒ XXX 我希望可以获得一份和XX(岗位名称)有关的工作，因为我XXX(说明为什么你能够胜任这份工作) I hope to get a job about XX (position), because XXX (why you are a great fit for this position).

To show your sincerity and politeness, you can say something like: wǒ fēi cháng xī wàng néng dé dào zhè fèn gōng zuò ,xī wàng guì gōng sī néng gěi zhè cì jī huì 。xiè xiè 我非常希望能得到这份工作,希望贵公司能给这次机会。谢谢！ I extremely hope that I can gain this job, hope your company can give me a chance. Thank you!

Introduce Yourself in Chinese for Interview Sample

下午好。我叫李莉莲，来自中国深圳，今年26岁。我毕业于法国雷恩大学的语言学和教学法专业，硕士学位。在校期间, 学习成绩优异, 曾获奖学金, 三好生等多项荣誉。过去4年在汉桥汉语教育学校担任对外汉语教师的职位， 有自己的一套独特的、合乎逻辑的教学体系可以帮助学生轻松的学习汉语。 我辅导过的学生都能以高分顺利通过Ap Chinese和HSK 考试。 今天我希望找到一份对外汉语教师的工作，我过去的工作经验说明了我非常胜任这份工作，而且我很热爱这份工作。谢谢！

Good afternoon. My name is Lillian Li. I come from Shenzhen, China. I’m 26 years old. I graduated from Rennes University in France and I majored in linguistics and didactic, I have a master’s degree. During the academic year, I got good achievements in study, won a scholarship, Sanhaoxuesheng honors etc. Over the past four years in Hanbridge Mandarin School, I taught Chinese follow a unique and logical learning system to help students improve their Chinese language ability easily.  My students are all easily to pass the Ap Chinese and HSK exam with a high score. Today I want to get a job of Chinese language teacher, I believe I am capable and competent of this job because of my educational background and I love this job very much. Thank you.

That’s it. Now just prepare how to introduce yourself in Chinese for job interview presentation based on your own individual situation according to the above method!

This is not the end. To perform well in the whole process of the interview, you should also learn what job interview questions in Chinese you’ll be asked. If you take the interview very seriously and need help, feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

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Simple Self-introduction in Chinese

In this Chinese lesson, we’re going to go through a self-introduction template, which will cover the most common expressions you’ll need to introduce yourself.

Greetings & Opening remarks

(Lit. You good.)

One to a group

Hello everyone.

(Lit. Everyone good.)

Lead-in before your self-introduction

下面我来介绍一下我自己。

Xiàmiàn wǒ lái jièshào yíxià wǒ zìjǐ.

Next let me introduce (a little bit) myself.

Name or nickname

我 叫 + name。

Wǒ jiào + name.

My name is ___.

(Lit. I to be called__.)

Wǒ jiào Joyce.

My name is Joyce.

你/你们可以叫我 + nickname。

Nǐ/ Nǐmen kěyǐ jiào wǒ + nickname.

You can call me ___.

(Lit. You/ You(plural) can call me.)

Nǐmen kěyǐ jiào wǒ Jiājiā.

You can call me Jiajia.

大家都叫我 + nickname。

Dàjiā dōu jiào wǒ + nickname.

Everyone calls me ___.

(Lit. Everyone all calls me___.)

Dàjiā dōu jiào wǒ Jiā jiā.

Everyone calls me Jiajia.

我是 ___ + nationality ___ 。

Wǒ shì + nationality ___.

I am______.

Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén.

I am Chinese.

Wǒ shì Měiguó rén.

I'm American.

我来自+ place。

Wǒ láizì + place.

I come from_____.

Wǒ láizì Shǎnxī Xī'ān.

I am from Xi'an, Shaanxi.

Wǒ láizì Měiguó Niǔyuē.

I am from New York, USA.

我在 + place + 出生，但是我在 + place + 长大。

Wǒ zài + place + chūshēng, dànshì wǒ zài + place + zhǎngdà.

I was born in ____, but I grew up in___.

(Lit. I in ___to be born, but I in _____grow up.)

我在美国出生，但是我在澳大利亚长大。

Wǒ zài Měiguó chūshēng, dànshì wǒ zài Àodàlìyà zhǎngdà.

I was born in the United States, but I grew up in Australia.

(Lit. I in the United States to be born, but I in Australia to grow up.)

我在 + place + 住了+ time period +了。

Wǒ zài + place + zhùle + time period + le.

I’ve been living in___for___.

(Lit. I in___have lived____.)

Wǒ zài Xiānggǎng zhùle shí nián le.

I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 10 years.

Education Background

我 在+ place + 读 + degree。

Wǒ zài + place + dú + degree.

I’m studying___in____.

(Lit. I in/at____to read___.)

Wǒ zài Zhōngguó dú dàxué.

I’m studying for a bachelor degree in China.

(Lit. I in China read university.)

Wǒ zài Měiguó dú yánjiūshēng.

I’m studying for a master’s degree in the United States.

(Lit. I in the United States read master degree.)

Wǒ xuéxí ___ zhuānyè.

I major in___.

(Lit. I study____major.)

Wǒ xuéxí jiàoyù zhuānyè.

I major in Education.

(Lit. I study Education major.)

Wǒ xuéxí jīnróng zhuānyè.

I major in Finance.

(Lit. I study Finance major.)

Current Job

我在 + place + 做 + occupation。

Wǒ zài + place + zuò + occupation.

I work as___in___.

(Lit. I at___to do___.)

Wǒ zài lǚxíngshè zuò dǎoyóu.

I work as a tour guide in a travel agency.

(Lit. I at travel agency do tour guide.)

Wǒ zài cāntīng zuò fúwùyuán.

I work as a waiter in a restaurant.

(Lit. I at restaurant do waiter.)

我是做 + sth. + 的。

Wǒ shì zuò + sth. + de.

I work as___.

(Lit. I do___.)

Wǒ shì zu xiāoshòu de.

I work in sales.

(Lit. I do sales.)

Wǒ shì zu jīnróng de.

I’m in the finance industry.

(Lit. I do finance.)

我是一名 + occupation。

Wǒ shì yì míng + occupation.

I’m a_____.

E.g. 我是一名汉语老师。

Wǒ shì yì míng Hànyǔ lǎoshī.

I’m a Chinese teacher.

Wǒ shì yì míng gōngchéngshī.

I’m an engineer.

Interests and Hobbies

我（超级/特别/最）喜欢_noun / verb_。

Wǒ (chāojí/tèbié/zuì) xǐhuan ___.

I like___very much.

Lit. I (super/particularly/ the most) like ___.

Wǒ chāojí xǐhuan xuéxí wàiyǔ.

I like learning foreign languages very much.

Wǒ tèbié xǐhuan jiāo péngyou.

I particularly like to make friends.

Wǒ zuì xǐhuan zuò fàn.

I like cooking the most.

我对__sth._很感兴趣。

Wǒ duì ___ hěn gǎn xìngqù.

I’m interested in__.

Lit. I towards ___ very interested.

Wǒ duì yìshù hěn gǎn xìngqù.

I’m very interested in art.

(Lit. I towards art very interested.)

我对中国历史很感兴趣。

Wǒ duì Zhōngguó lìshǐ hěn gǎn xìngqù.

I’m very interested in history.

(Lit. I towards Chinese history very interested.)

Self-evaluation

我是一个 _description_ 的人。

Wǒ shì yíge _description_ de rén.

Lit. I am a ______ person.

Wǒ shì yíge hěn kāilǎng de rén.

I’m an extroverted person.

Wǒ shì yí ge hěn hàixiū de rén.

I’m a shy person.

我的朋友们都说______。

Wǒ de péngyoumen dōu shuō ______。

My friends all say that_____.

我的朋友们都说我是一个很害羞的人。

Wǒ de péngyoumen dōu shuō wǒ shì yí ge hěn hàixiū de rén.

My friends all say that I’m a shy person.

Concluding words

很高兴认识你/你们/大家。

Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ/nǐmen/dàjiā.

Nice to meet you/you(plural)/everyone.

Qǐng duōduō zhǐjiào.

Please do give me some guidance.

One possible self-introduction template, creat your own from now on!

大家好。我叫 + name。我的朋友们都叫我 + nickname。我来自+ place。

Dàjiā hǎo. Wǒ jiào___. Wǒ de péngyoumen dōu jiào wǒ__.  Wǒ láizì ____.

Hello everyone. My name is__. My friends call me__. I come from______.

我在+place+ 住了+ time period + 了。我是一名+ occupation。我特别喜欢+ interests。

Dàjiā hǎo. Wǒ jiào___. Wǒ de péngyoumen dōu jiào wǒ____. Wǒ láizì ____.

I’ve been living in____for____. I’m a_____. I particularly like______.

我的朋友们都说 + description by your friends。很高兴认识你们。请多多指教。

Wǒ de péngyǒumen dōu shuō_______. Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐmen. Qǐng duōduō zhǐjiào.

My friends all say that______. Nice to meet you all. I'd highly appreciate your kind guidance.

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How To Introduce Yourself In Chinese

Whether it's casual or for business, knowing how to do self introduction in Chinese is a must! Here are tips on how make a great first impression in Mandarin Chinese. Key sentences such as: My name is, My surname is, I'm from, and other basic personal information in Mandarin Chinese.

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As a Mandarin Chinese tutor , I work with students ranging from elementary school to graduate school. Their level of Chinese fluency might differ, but one question I always get is: “How do I introduce myself?”

That makes sense. Whether you are meeting new friends on the playground or interviewing for a job, one of the most basic yet important language skills to master is the introduction. In Chinese, a self-introduction is called "自我介绍 (zì wǒ jiè shào)."

Introducing yourself is usually the first step in starting a longer conversation, and you want to ensure that you are setting the best first impression right away. In this article, we cover the art of introducing yourself in Chinese language in two different settings. 

Introducing yourself casually

    Chinese : 你好! 我叫 (XYZ). 很高兴认识你!

    Pinyin : Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào (XYZ). Hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nǐ!

    Translation : Hello! My name is (XYZ). Very happy to meet you!

    Please note: “我叫” (Wǒ jiào) literally translates to “I am called…”,

    but is commonly used as a casual substitute for “my name is.”

The casual Chinese introduction is best used when meeting new peers. Maybe you are being introduced to a friend of a friend, or going on a first date. In general, sentences can be shorter (and therefore less formal), and the use of colloquial language is okay.

By the way, if you don't have a Chinese name yet, you can read our post on how to pick one: Choosing a Name in Chinese .

Long Introduction –  meant to give the other person some background on yourself

Telling people where you are from:

• Chinese: 你好! 我叫 (XYZ). 我从北京来.
• Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào (XYZ). Wǒ cóng běijīng lái.
• Translation: Hello! My name is (XYZ). I am from Beijing.

Telling people what your occupation is:

• Chinese: 我是北京大学的学生.
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì běijīng dà xué de xué shēng
• Translation: I am a student from Beijing University.

Telling people what you like to do:

• Chinese: 我喜欢…跳舞.
• Pinyin: Wǒ xǐ huān... tiào wǔ
• Translation: I like…dancing.
• Please note: you can substitute any other activity/hobby for “dancing,” as long as you have the “我喜欢 (Wǒ xǐ huān) - I like” in front.

Introducing yourself in a business setting

Introducing yourself in a business setting takes practice and finesse. You need to be more polite, which usually means using the formal version of words/phrases and using longer sentences.

Related: What It's Like To Work For A Chinese Company

• Chinese: 您好! 我的名字是 (XYZ). 很高兴见到您.
• Pinyin: Nín hǎo! Wǒ de míngzì shì (XYZ). Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nín
• Translation: Hello! My name is (XYZ). Very happy to see you.
• Please note: Here, we use the formal “you -您 (nín)”, rather than the casual “you - 你 (nǐ).”

Long Introduction – meant to introduce yourself at the beginning of a job interview, or to answer the popular question “tell me about yourself."

Related: Do's and Don'ts of Interviewing At A Chinese Company

Telling people where you went to school:

• Chinese: 我于2005年毕业于北京大学.
• Pinyin : Wǒ yú 2005 nián bì yè yú běijīng dà xué
• Translation: I graduated from Beijing University in 2005.

Telling people what you studied:

• Chinese: 我的专业是…金融.
• Pinyin : Wǒ de zhuān yè shì… jīn róng
• Translation: My major is…finance.

Telling people where and how long you worked:

• Chinese: 我在 (XYZ)公司工作了五年.
• Pinyin : Wǒ zài (XYZ) gong sī gong zuò le wǔ nián
• Translation: I worked for five years at (XYZ) company.

Telling people your interests/hobbies

• Chinese: 我的兴趣包括…阅读和音乐
• Pinyin : Wǒ de xìng qù bāo kuò… yuè dú hé yīn yuè
• Translation: My interests include…reading and music

A Formal Self-Introduction in Chinese

Sometimes at a Chinese company, you will be required to introduce yourself formally via email or even in a speech in front of everyone. This message could been seen or heard by people in high level positions, so making sure you sound professional and qualified (yet humble ) is a must! Below is an example:

我的名字是 [Chinese name]，来自 [place you are from], 是 [University Name] [Major]的毕业生。 我非常高兴也非常荣幸的加入到 [Company Name]这个大家庭中来。加入[Company Name] 之前，我在 [Former Company Name]担任 [Position name, for example: 信息技术总监。] 希望在今后的工作和生活中得到大家多多的指导和帮助，合作愉快！

Translation: My name is [Chinese name}, I am from [insert place], I graduated from [University name] as a [] major. I'm happy and honored to join the big family that is [Company name]. Before this, I was at [Former company name] as [position name, for example: as the Director in the IT Department.] I hope that after today, I can count on everyone's support and assistance, and that we can work together happily!

Related: The Anatomy of a  Business Letter In Chinese

Armed with the above sentence structures and vocabulary, you should feel confident about introducing yourself to new Chinese friends and coworkers. Best of luck, and be sure to get in plenty of practice!

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A self introduction in Chinese can go a long way when you’re trying to make a good first impression on Chinese speakers. Whether you’re meeting a potential business partner or greeting a stranger at a cafe, knowing how to introduce yourself in Chinese can demonstrate courtesy, respect, and your awareness of cultural differences. 

Being able to say hello in Chinese will help you start a conversation when visiting China. This would, of course, mean that you would have to know some Chinese to further continue speaking with the people you meet. Is Chinese hard to learn ? Yes, but you don’t have to be fluent to make a short, lasting introduction in Chinese.

If you want to learn how, check out this list of Chinese introduction phrases below. 

Phrase List: How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese

No matter what level you’re at, as you go through the list, try to work on your Chinese pronunciation . Many Chinese sounds can be tricky for English speakers to imitate, even though pinyin makes Chinese look like it uses familiar sounds. Try to find recordings of native speakers (or speak with a native speaker in person) to hear what these common phrases sound like, and get used to saying them as naturally as you can.

All of this practice will come in handy when it comes time for you to land your introduction and make a solid impression in a real situation.

Learning Chinese Vocabulary to Introduce Yourself

To remember how to introduce yourself in Chinese, learn Chinese vocabulary with Hack Chinese . Hack Chinese platform makes studying Chinese much easier by helping you learn and review vocabulary as efficiently as possible. It will schedule when and how often you need to revisit words and phrases to refresh your memories of them, allowing you to stock your brain with useful information while you spend your study time more wisely.

Once you’ve spent some time studying and getting comfortable with these phrases, it’s time to get out there and practice! Keep in mind that making mistakes is a part of the learning process, and that even if the conversation with your new acquaintance ends up switching to English after your Chinese introduction, you’ve already made a memorable impression.

At the very least, you’ve proved to them that you cared about meeting them enough to learn how to introduce yourself in Chinese. You’ve put in the effort to step outside of your comfort zone and familiarize yourself with unfamiliar language and culture. Great job! That’s not such a bad first impression to make!

6 Chinese Words and Structures for Self-Introduction

Apr 19, 2022 | Chinese Language

The Most Useful Chinese Words and Structures to Introduce Yourself in Chinese

Imagine such a scenario, you’ve just arrived in China and you want to make some Chinese friends in order to know more about local people’s daily lives. As we all know, in order to make friends with other people, you will first need to introduce yourself. Well, if you would like to make friends with Chinese people, it will be a good idea to learn how to introduce yourself in Chinese so that you could more or less impress your “potential friends”. In this article, we would like to teach you six words and structures you need in order to introduce yourself in Chinese.

Chinese Words and Structures to Introduce Yourself

1. Greetings

你好! Nǐ hǎo Hello!You can start with the word “你好 (nǐ hǎo)” if you would like to learn how to introduce yourself in Chinese. This is the most common word Chinese people use when they start to introduce themselves. In this word, “你 (nǐ)” means “you”, and “好 (hǎo)” means “good”. Hence, the literal meaning of this Chinese word is “you good”. What’s hidden behind this word is probably that when Chinese people say hi to you, they also hope everything is going well with you.

2. I am …

我是 … Wǒ shì … I am + name

This is the key structure that you need in order to introduce yourself in Chinese. The character “是 (shì)” means “am/is/are”, and the meaning of this structure is “I am……”. You can add your name to this structure when you want to introduce yourself in Chinese. Here is an example to help you better understand how to use this structure:

我是Andy。 Wǒ shì Andy. I’m Andy.

What you need to bear in mind is that Chinese people state their full names (surname + given name) instead of just saying their given names when they introduce themselves. In addition, a person’s surname comes before his or her given name. For example:

我是李强。 Wǒ shì Lǐ Qiáng. I’m Li Qiang.

In the name “李强 (Lǐ Qiáng)”, “李 (Lǐ)” is this person’s surname, whereas “强 (Qiáng)” stands for the given name.

3. My name is …

我叫 … Wǒ jiào … My name is + name

This is another way to tell other people your name when you introduce yourself in Chinese. “叫 (jiào)” means “to call”, therefore, the literal meaning of this structure is “I’m called/My name is……”. Again you can directly add your name to this structure when you introduce yourself in Chinese.

你好，我叫Emily。 Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Emily。 Hello, my name is Emily.

4. I’m from …

我是 … Wǒ shì … I’m + nationality.

When you introduce yourself in Chinese, you probably also want to tell other people where you come from. In Chinese, “name of the country + 人 (rén)” represents a person’s nationality, and the character “人 (rén)” means “people”. Let’s take a look at some examples to help you better understand this structure:

我是美国人。 Wǒ shì Měi guó rén. I’m American.

我是英国人。 Wǒ shì Yīng guó rén. I’m British.

我是日本人。 Wǒ shì Rì běn rén. I’m Japanese.

In these three examples, “美国 (Měiguó)”, “英国 (Yīngguó)” and “日本 (Rìběn)” mean “America”, “Britain” and “Japan” respectively.

Chinese Words and Structures to Talk About Your Occupation and Age

1. My occupation

我是 … Wǒ shì … I’m a + profession

Sometimes you might also want to tell other people what you do for a living when you introduce yourself in Chinese. It’s very similar to how you tell others your nationality, and what you need to do is replace your nationality by your profession.

我是老师。 Wǒ shì lǎoshī. I’m a teacher.

我是工程师。 Wǒ shì gōngchéngshī. I’m an engineer. Vocabulary:

老师 lǎoshī teacher

工程师 gōngchéngshī engineer

我 + … + 岁 。 Wǒ + … + suì. I’m … years old.

It’s not acceptable to ask people’s age in most western countries. However, you can use this structure in case you want to mention your age when you introduce yourself in Chinese. The word “岁 (suì)” can be translated as “year(s) old”.

我二十岁。 Wǒ èrshí suì. I’m twenty years old.

I hope you’ve learned a little bit more about self-introduction. To find out more interesting and useful vocabulary, check out one of our blog posts 7 Things About Chinese Culture First-time Travelers Should Know

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