Introducing yourself is one of the first and most useful skills you can learn in Chinese. Whether you are meeting new friends, talking to classmates, or starting a conversation at a Restaurant (餐厅, cān tīng) or School (学校, xué xiào), knowing how to introduce yourself will give you confidence and help you connect with people immediately.
The good news is that self-introductions in Chinese are simple, structured, and easy to learn at the HSK 1 level.
Basic Structure of a Chinese Self-Introduction
In Chinese, a self-introduction usually follows a clear and logical order. You don’t need long sentences. Just combine a few simple patterns.
Basic structure
Name + Nationality + Job/Study + Age + Hobbies
Example
我叫李明。我是学生。我喜欢学习中文。
Wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng. Wǒ shì xuéshēng. Wǒ xǐhuān xuéxí Zhōngwén.
My name is Li Ming. I am a student. I like studying Chinese.
1. Saying Your Name in Chinese
The most common way to say your name is using 叫 (jiào)
我叫John。
Wǒ jiào John.
My name is John.
你叫什么名字？
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What is your name?
Another polite way is using 名字 (míngzi)
我的名字是Anna。
Wǒ de míngzi shì Anna.
My name is Anna.
2. Saying Where You Are From
To talk about your nationality or origin, use 是 (shì) and 哪国人 (nǎ guó rén)
我是美国人。
Wǒ shì Měiguó rén.
I am American.
你是哪国人？
Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
Which country are you from?
You can also mention a city like Beijing (北京, Běi jīng) or Shanghai (上海, Shàng hǎi)
我在北京。
Wǒ zài Běijīng.
I am in Beijing.
我住在上海。
Wǒ zhù zài Shànghǎi.
I live in Shanghai.
3. Talking About Your Job or Studies
Use 是 (shì) to describe your identity
我是学生。
Wǒ shì xuéshēng.
I am a student.
他是老师。
Tā shì lǎoshī.
He is a teacher.
If you work, you can say
我在公司工作。
Wǒ zài gōngsī gōngzuò.
I work at a company.
4. Saying Your Age
To talk about age, use 岁 (suì)
我二十岁。
Wǒ èrshí suì.
I am 20 years old.
你多大？
Nǐ duō dà?
How old are you?
5. Talking About What You Like
Use 喜欢 (xǐhuān) to talk about hobbies
我喜欢音乐。
Wǒ xǐhuān yīnyuè.
I like music.
我喜欢看电影。
Wǒ xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng.
I like watching movies.
你喜欢什么？
Nǐ xǐhuān shénme?
What do you like?
6. Saying What Language You Speak
This is especially useful for expats learning Chinese
我说英语。
Wǒ shuō Yīngyǔ.
I speak English.
我会说一点中文。
Wǒ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén.
I can speak a little Chinese.
7. Adding Politeness to Your Introduction
In Chinese culture, politeness is very important. A simple greeting makes your introduction sound natural.
你好！
Nǐ hǎo!
Hello!
很高兴认识你。
Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Nice to meet you.
8. Full Self-Introduction Examples
Example 1
你好！我叫David。我是英国人。我是学生。我二十二岁。我喜欢学习中文。很高兴认识你。
Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào David. Wǒ shì Yīngguó rén. Wǒ shì xuéshēng. Wǒ èrshí’èr suì. Wǒ xǐhuān xuéxí Zhōngwén. Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Hello! My name is David. I am British. I am a student. I am 22 years old. I like studying Chinese. Nice to meet you.
Example 2
你好！我叫Maria。我是西班牙人。我在公司工作。我喜欢咖啡和音乐。
Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào Maria. Wǒ shì Xībānyá rén. Wǒ zài gōngsī gōngzuò. Wǒ xǐhuān kāfēi hé yīnyuè.
Hello! My name is Maria. I am Spanish. I work at a company. I like coffee and music.
9. Useful Questions for Conversations
When introducing yourself, you will also hear these common questions
你叫什么名字？
Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What is your name?
你是哪国人？
Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
Where are you from?
你做什么工作？
Nǐ zuò shénme gōngzuò?
What do you do?
你喜欢什么？
Nǐ xǐhuān shénme?
What do you like?
10. Practice Tips for Beginners
Practice speaking out loud every day. Try introducing yourself in front of a mirror or when meeting new people. Use simple sentences first, then slowly add more details. If you visit places like a Café (咖啡馆, kā fēi guǎn) or Airport (机场, jī chǎng), imagine introducing yourself to someone there. This makes learning more practical and fun.
11. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not worry about verb changes. Chinese verbs stay the same. Focus on word order. Also remember that 是 (shì) is not always needed in every sentence. For example, you say 我二十岁 not 我是二十岁.
12. Build Your Own Introduction
You can now build your own introduction using this simple pattern
你好 + 我叫… + 我是…人 + 我是学生/我工作 + 我…岁 + 我喜欢…
Example
你好！我叫Alex。我是加拿大人。我是学生。我二十五岁。我喜欢运动和音乐。很高兴认识你。
Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ jiào Alex. Wǒ shì Jiānádà rén. Wǒ shì xuéshēng. Wǒ èrshíwǔ suì. Wǒ xǐhuān yùndòng hé yīnyuè. Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Hello! My name is Alex. I am Canadian. I am a student. I am 25 years old. I like sports and music. Nice to meet you.
New Words from This Blog Post
名字 (míngzi) – 名字 (míngzi) name
国家 (guójiā) – 国家 (guójiā) country
学生 (xuéshēng) – 学生 (xuéshēng) student
老师 (lǎoshī) – 老师 (lǎoshī) teacher
公司 (gōngsī) – 公司 (gōngsī) company
工作 (gōngzuò) – 工作 (gōngzuò) work
岁 (suì) – 岁 (suì) years of age
音乐 (yīnyuè) – 音乐 (yīnyuè) music
电影 (diànyǐng) – 电影 (diànyǐng) movie
中文 (Zhōngwén) – 中文 (Zhōngwén) Chinese language
认识 (rènshi) – 认识 (rènshi) to know someone
喜欢 (xǐhuān) – 喜欢 (xǐhuān) to like
咖啡 (kāfēi) – 咖啡 (kāfēi) coffee
运动 (yùndòng) – 运动 (yùndòng) sports
英国 (Yīngguó) – 英国 (Yīngguó) United Kingdom
