How to Introduce Yourself in Chinese (Beyond Nǐ Hǎo)
How to introduce yourself in Chinese: nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào…, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ — with audio, when to use nín, handshakes, and one question to ask next.
Linguino · Sep 23, 2026 · 8 min read
To introduce yourself in Chinese, say “你好，我叫Alex，很高兴认识你。” (Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Alex, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) — “Hi, my name is Alex, nice to meet you.” These three short parts work in Mandarin at a language exchange, with a new classmate, or with a friend of a friend — and, with one small change (see 您 below), with a new colleague.
The other person will usually answer with 我也很高兴认识你 (wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ, “Happy to meet you too”) and their own name. Then one of you asks 你是哪儿的人？, “Where are you from?”, and the conversation has started. The rest of this guide explains each part, when to switch to the polite 您, what to do with your hands, and how to keep the conversation going.
How to introduce yourself in Chinese in three lines
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你好。 | nǐ hǎo | Hello. |
| 我叫Alex。 | wǒ jiào Alex | My name is Alex. |
| 很高兴认识你。 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Nice to meet you. |
| 你是哪儿的人？ | nǐ shì nǎr de rén? | Where are you from? |
Together:
你好，我叫Alex，很高兴认识你。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Alex, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Say it in three small beats with a short pause after 你好 and after your name. Mandarin is tonal, so say each syllable clearly rather than quickly. If pinyin and tone marks are new to you, how to read Chinese explains them.
What does “nǐ hǎo” really mean?
你好 (nǐ hǎo) is literally “you good.” It is the standard greeting for someone you do not know yet, so it fits a first meeting well. Between friends, people often skip it and say the other person’s name, or a quick 嗨 (hāi), but as a stranger you are never wrong with 你好.
One sound detail: both words carry the third tone, and when two third tones meet, the first one rises. So nǐ hǎo is said closer to ní hǎo. You do not need to think about the rule; copy the clip and the pattern will stick.
Wǒ jiào, wǒ shì or wǒ xìng?
There are three common ways to give your name, and they do different jobs.
- 我叫Alex (wǒ jiào Alex) — “I am called Alex.” This is the everyday choice and the one the Chengdu scene uses. 叫 means “to be called.”
- 我是Alex (wǒ shì Alex) — “I am Alex.” Also fine, especially when someone is expecting you: “Hi, I’m Alex, we spoke on the phone.”
- 我姓王 (wǒ xìng Wáng) — “My family name is Wang.” This gives only the family name and is common in work settings.
Chinese names put the family name first. If you meet 王丽 (Wáng Lì), Wáng is her family name and Lì is her given name. At a language exchange she will probably tell you what to call her, for example 叫我丽丽就行 (jiào wǒ Lìli jiù xíng, “Just call me Lili”). Many people who work with foreigners also use an English name, so do not be surprised if she says “I’m Lily” as well.
If you have a Chinese name from a teacher, you can use it, but you do not need one. Your own name, said clearly, is enough.
How formal should you be in Mandarin?
Mandarin has two words for “you”: 你 (nǐ) and the polite 您 (nín). Where you use 您 depends on the setting, and also on the region: people in Beijing and the north use it more often than people in the south and west.
A language exchange, a class, or a friend of a friend
Use 你. Among people of similar age in a relaxed setting, 你好，我叫Alex，很高兴认识你 is exactly right. Using 您 with a student your own age can sound stiff.
Someone older, a teacher, or a professional contact
Switch to 您: 您好 (nín hǎo) and 很高兴认识您 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín). You will also hear the polite way to ask a family name:
您贵姓？
Nín guìxìng?
“May I ask your family name?”
The answer drops the polite word and gives only the name: 我姓王 (wǒ xìng Wáng), “My family name is Wang.” Never answer with 我贵姓 — 贵 (“honorable”) is only for the other person.
After that, address the person by family name plus a title: 王老师 (Wáng lǎoshī, Teacher Wang), or 王先生 / 王女士 (Wáng xiānsheng / Wáng nǚshì, Mr. / Ms. Wang). Do not use the given name alone until they invite you to.
A formal business meeting
In business, people often exchange business cards (名片, míngpiàn). Give and take a card with both hands, look at it for a moment, and put it away carefully, not in your back pocket. If you need a longer introduction with your company and role, you can create your own scene that describes it and practice that version.
Handshake, bow, or cheek kiss?
In mainland China, a first meeting usually comes with a handshake or a small nod and a smile. Handshakes are often lighter than in many Western countries, and a very strong grip is not expected. With an older person, let them offer their hand first.
There are no cheek kisses, and hugs are uncommon at a first meeting. A deep bow is not part of the greeting either; that belongs to Japanese introductions, not Chinese ones. A slight nod while you say 你好 is enough.
In a group, greet the oldest or most senior person first. At a table, it is also normal among peers to stay seated and simply nod and smile if you are already sitting down; if someone older or senior arrives, stand up to greet them.
One very Chinese step often comes at the end: adding each other on WeChat. You may hear 加个微信吧？ (Jiā ge Wēixìn ba?), “Shall we add each other on WeChat?” Answer 好啊 (hǎo a, “Sure”), and one of you scans the other’s QR code.
Keep the conversation going
After names, the natural next question is:
你是哪儿的人？
Nǐ shì nǎr de rén?
“Where are you from?”
The answer pattern is a place plus 人 (rén), “person”: 我是成都人 (wǒ shì Chéngdū rén), “I’m from Chengdu.” For a country it works the same way: 我是英国人 (wǒ shì Yīngguó rén, I’m British), 我是美国人 (wǒ shì Měiguó rén, I’m American), 我是法国人 (wǒ shì Fǎguó rén, I’m French).
In Chengdu and much of the south you will more often hear 你是哪里人？ (nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?); it means the same thing.
To return any question, add 你呢？ (nǐ ne?), “And you?” It is short, polite, and saves you from repeating the whole question.
A good second question is 你是做什么工作的？ (Nǐ shì zuò shénme gōngzuò de?), “What do you do for work?”
You may also hear a compliment very early, such as 你中文说得真好！ (nǐ Zhōngwén shuō de zhēn hǎo!, “Your Chinese is really good!”), even after one sentence. The traditional modest reply is:
哪里哪里。
Nǎli nǎli.
Literally “where, where?”, meaning “Oh, not at all.”
Younger people often just say 谢谢 (xièxie, “thanks”) or 没有没有 (méiyǒu méiyǒu, “no, no”). Any of these is fine. Adding 我刚开始学 (wǒ gāng kāishǐ xué, “I’ve just started learning”) is a friendly way to lower expectations.
Do not be surprised by questions that feel personal to some visitors: how long you have been in China, whether you are married, or how old you are. People usually ask out of friendly interest. You can answer briefly and ask them back.
What not to worry about yet
- You do not need perfect tones before you start. Say each syllable clearly, and context will do much of the work in a short introduction.
- You do not need to read characters. You can speak your introduction from pinyin first.
- You do not need a Chinese name.
- You do not need 您 in every sentence. Choose it once for the setting and stay with it.
- You do need to catch the other person’s name and 我也很高兴认识你 when it comes back to you.
Listening for the reply matters as much as your own lines. If the answer comes back too fast, the guide to understanding spoken Mandarin shows what to listen for first.
Rehearse one realistic first meeting
Use your real name and your real city, and run this sequence aloud:
- Say 你好 and 我叫 + your name.
- Close with 很高兴认识你.
- Hear the other person’s name and 我也很高兴认识你.
- Ask 你是哪儿的人？
- Answer their 你呢？ with your place plus 人.
- Reply 哪里哪里 or 谢谢 when they praise your Chinese.
Hear the whole first meeting, with Wang Li playing the person across the table:
A first meeting at a language exchange in Chengdu
你好，我叫Alex，很高兴认识你。
Hi, my name is Alex, nice to meet you.
我也很高兴认识你！我叫王丽。
Happy to meet you too! My name is Wang Li.
你是哪儿的人？
Where are you from?
我是成都人。你呢？
I'm from Chengdu. And you?
我是英国人。
I'm British.
你中文说得真好！
Your Chinese is really good!
哪里哪里，我刚开始学。
Oh, not at all. I've just started learning.
加个微信吧？
Shall we add each other on WeChat?
If your mind goes blank even though you know the lines, the three-minute speaking fix will help you lower the pressure. To see where this conversation sits on the scale teachers use, read CEFR levels explained in plain English.
Linguino’s “Meet someone new” scene puts you at a language exchange in Chengdu, across the table from someone who wants to practice with you. It starts with 你好，我叫Alex，很高兴认识你 and 你是哪儿的人？, and your AI teacher plays the other person, who answers what you actually say — maybe 我是成都人, followed by a question back to you. When it wants you to say a line, it shows a phrase card with the characters, the pinyin, and the meaning, and you can replay and translate each of the teacher’s lines. Afterwards you get a short quiz, scored speaking cards, and coach feedback, and the phrases you practiced are saved to your Phrasebook.
You are ready when you can give your name, say 很高兴认识你, and ask one real question. That is enough to start a real conversation.