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名字 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
名字míngziname (of a person or thing)HSK 1, n, rank #259, Easy
名字míngzi>个[gè]HSK 1, n, rank #259, Easy
míngzi(ming2zi5) T2
  1. 1name (of a person or thing)
  2. 2>个[gè]
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March 24, 2026
名字míngzi(ming2zi5)

名字 (míngzi) means 'name' in Mandarin, referring to the designation of a person or thing. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts to ask for or provide someone's name or the name of an object.

Frequency#259DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, names often carry significant meaning and are chosen with care, sometimes reflecting family heritage or aspirations for the individual. The significance of names in social interactions is paramount.

Memory Tip

Think of 名 (míng) as a 'bright' or 'famous' name that brings recognition, combined with 字 (zì), which means 'character' or 'word'. Imagine a bright light illuminating a person's name on a marquee, making it unforgettable.

Meanings of 名字

míngzi(ming2zi5)
1name (of a person or thing)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 名字

名字Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#259Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 名字

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Podcast: 名字

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AI Study Notes for 名字

Quick Contrast

昵称 (nìchēng) vs 名称 (míngchēng) — use 昵称 for informal or affectionate names, while 名称 is more formal and refers to the official title or designation.

Memory Mnemonic

Think of 名 (míng) as a 'bright' or 'famous' name that brings recognition, combined with 字 (zì), which means 'character' or 'word'. Imagine a bright light illuminating a person's name on a marquee, making it unforgettable.

Usage Notes

Be careful with tones; 名 (míng) has a rising tone while 字 (zì) has a falling tone. Common mistakes include mispronouncing it as 'mingzi' instead of the correct 'míngzi'. In informal settings, you might hear just 名 (míng) when referring to one's name.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 1 word, 名字 is foundational for conversations about identity. Students should practice using it in questions like '你叫什么名字?' (What is your name?) to reinforce its usage.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, names often carry significant meaning and are chosen with care, sometimes reflecting family heritage or aspirations for the individual. The significance of names in social interactions is paramount.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse the pronunciation by saying 'mingzi' instead of the correct 'míngzi', resulting in a tone error. Additionally, they may forget to use the measure word 个 (gè) when referring to it, saying '我有名字' instead of '我有一个名字' (I have a name).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 名字

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Component Characters

名míngname
HSK 26 strokes口
View full entry
字zìletter
HSK 16 strokes子
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Write 名字

名
字

Practice writing 名字 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 名字

名字 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons5
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

我没告诉他我的____。

I didn't tell him my name.

Example Sentences for 名字 (10)

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1
从公司可以查到离你最近的零售商的名字。

cóng gōng sī kě yǐ chá dào lí nǐ zuì jìn de líng shòu shāng de míng zì。

The name of your nearest stockist is available from the company.
2
Tapies这个名字直译过来是“墙”。

Tapies Tapies zhè gè míng zì zhí yì guò lái“ shì”。

A literal translation of the name Tapies is "walls."
3
名单上大部分是爱尔兰名字，这没什么不合适的。

míng dān shàng dà bù fēn shì ài ěr lán míng zì， ， zhè méi shí mó bù hé shì。

It is appropriate that Irish names dominate the list.
4
他们还留下了一张名片，上面印着肖恩·林奇的名字。

tā mén huán liú xià le yī zhāng míng piàn， ， shàng miàn yìn zháo xiāo· ēn · lín qí de。

They also left a card, imprinted with the name Sean Lynch.
5
“哦，盖尔德纳，”他说道，好像他听说过这个名字。

“ “， ó ， gài ěr，” dé nà ，”， tā shuō dào ， hǎo xiàng tā tīng shuō guò。

"Oh, Gairdner," he said, as if that meant something to him.
6
他的名字有很多不同的拼写形式。

tā de míng zì yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de pīn xiě xíng shì。

There are so many variant spellings of his name.
7
这个叫杰克·史密斯的家伙是不是还有个名字叫杰凯尔？

zhè gè jiào jié kè· · shǐ mì sī de jiā huǒ shì bù shì huán yǒu gè míng zì jiào jié kǎi？

This guy, Jack Smith, does he go by the name of Jackal?
8
一两个评论家已经开始把这两个名字弄混了。

yī liǎng gè píng lùn jiā yǐ jīng kāi shǐ bǎ zhè liǎng gè míng zì nòng hùn le。

Already, one or two critics have begun to muddle the two names.
9
对不起，我忘了你的名字。提醒我一下好吗？

duì bù qǐ， ， wǒ wàng le nǐ de míng。 zì 。 tí xǐng wǒ yī xià？

I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name. Can you remind me?
10
我忘记了他的名字——请提醒我一下好 吗 ?

wǒ wàng jì le tā de míng zì—— —— qǐng tí xǐng wǒ yī xià hǎo?

I've forgotten his name — will you remind me of it?

Cultural Notes for 名字

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, names often carry significant meaning and are chosen with care, sometimes reflecting family heritage or aspirations for the individual. The significance of names in social interactions is paramount.

Frequently Asked Questions about 名字

You can ask, '你叫什么名字?' (Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?)