Language/Mandarin-chinese/Vocabulary/Business

Names and Forms of Address

Key sentence and substitution

Key sentence

Sentence	PinYin	Translation
请问，您贵姓？	Qǐngwèn, nín guìxìng?	May I ask your last name?

Substitution

Phrase	PinYin	Translation
你们两位	Nǐmen liǎng wèi	two of you
你们经理	Nǐmen jīnglǐ	your manager
你们老总	Nǐmen lǎozǒng	your boss

Extension

Sentence	Pinyin	Translation
1. 我姓王，叫王志远。	Wǒ xìng wáng, jiào wángzhìyuǎn.	My last name is Wang, and my name is Wang Zhiyuan.
2. 我的中文名字叫史强生。	Wǒ de zhōngwén míngzì jiào shǐ qiángshēng.	My Chinese name is Shi Qiangsheng
3. 你知道那位女士叫什么名字吗？	Nǐ zhīdào nà wèi nǚshì jiào shénme míngzì ma?	Do you know that‘s lady name？
4. 他是我们的市场部经理。	Tā shì wǒmen de shìchǎng bù jīnglǐ.	He is our Marketing Department Manager.

Dialogue

Sentence	Pinyin	Translation
请问您贵姓？	Qǐngwèn nín guìxìng?	May I ask your last name?
我姓张，叫张仁远。您呢？	Wǒ xìng zhāng, jiào zhāngrényuǎn. Nín ne?	My last name is Zhang, and my name is Zhang Renyuan. And you?
我叫Johnson Smith，我的中文名字叫史强生？	Wǒ jiào Johnson Smith, wǒ de zhōngwén míngzì jiào shǐ qiángshēng?	My name is Johnson Smith and my Chinese name is Shi Qiangsheng.
你好，史先生！	Nǐ hǎo, shǐ qiángshēng!	Hello, Mr. Shi!
你好，叫我Johson就行了！你知道那位先生叫什么名字吗？	Nǐ hǎo, jiào wǒ Johson jiùxíngle! Nǐ zhīdào nà wèi xiānshēng jiào shénme míngzì ma?	Hello，just call me Johson！Do you know that gentleman‘s name？
他是我们的市场部经理，叫黄志强。	Tā shì wǒmen de shìchǎng bù jīnglǐ, jiào huángzhìqiáng.	He is our Marketing Department Manager，and his name is Huang Zhiqiang.
我应该怎么称呼他才合适？	Wǒ yīnggāi zěnme chēnghu tā cái héshì?	What is the proper way for me to address him?
叫他黄经理就行了。	Jiào tā huáng jīnglǐ jiùxíngle.	Just call him Manager Huang.

Related words

Word	Pinyin	Translation
贵姓	Guìxìng	last name; surname (polite form)
名/名字	Míng/míngzì	first name; given name
姓名	Xìngmíng	full name(literally: surname and given name)
称呼	Chēnghu	to address; to call; form of adress
位	Wèi	a measure word for person (polite form)
先生	Xiānshēng	sir; Mr.; gentleman
夫人	Fūrén	Mrs; lady; madam
女士	Nǚshì	Ms.;(educated) woman
小姐	Xiǎojiě	Miss; young lady
礼貌	Lǐmào	courtesy; politeness; manners
尊敬	Zūnjìng	respect; to respect

Cultural navigation

When Chinese exchange greetings, they often address people by using one´s family name with the title. It is a way to show respect to others. In every day life, Chinese generally call each others by their full names. Only among family members or close friends will Chinese call each other by their first name. If your Chinese co-workers, friends or business partners address you in this way, it is a sign that they have considered you as a good friend or "one of them". 

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