Difference between revisions of "Using the verb "xing""

Line 22: Line 22:
 
* 他 <em>姓</em> 李。<span class="trans">His last name is Li.</span>
 
* 他 <em>姓</em> 李。<span class="trans">His last name is Li.</span>
 
* 那 个 帅哥 <em>姓</em> 张。<span class="trans">That handsome guy's last name is Zhang.</span>
 
* 那 个 帅哥 <em>姓</em> 张。<span class="trans">That handsome guy's last name is Zhang.</span>
* 我 爸爸<em>姓</em>周,我 妈妈<em>姓</em>林,我 叫 周林。<span class="trans">My father's last name is Zhou, my mother's last name is Lin. My name is Zhou Lin.</span>
+
* 我 爸爸 <em>姓</em> 周,我 妈妈 <em>姓</em> 林,我 叫 周林。<span class="trans">My father's last name is Zhou, my mother's last name is Lin. My name is Zhou Lin.</span>
 
* 我 女朋友 <em>姓</em> 钱。<span class="trans">My girlfriend's last name is Qian.</span>
 
* 我 女朋友 <em>姓</em> 钱。<span class="trans">My girlfriend's last name is Qian.</span>
 
* 你好,我 <em>姓</em> 毛。<span class="trans">Hello. My last name is Mao. </span>
 
* 你好,我 <em>姓</em> 毛。<span class="trans">Hello. My last name is Mao. </span>

Revision as of 06:46, 14 February 2014

Chinese-grammar-wiki-xing (1).jpg

The verb 姓 (xìng) literally means "to be surnamed" or "to have the surname."

Giving One's Surname

You can use 姓 to tell someone your own surname, or that of someone else.

Structure

Subject + 姓 + Surname

Examples

  • 王。My last name is Wang.
  • 李。His last name is Li.
  • 那 个 帅哥 张。That handsome guy's last name is Zhang.
  • 我 爸爸 周,我 妈妈 林,我 叫 周林。My father's last name is Zhou, my mother's last name is Lin. My name is Zhou Lin.
  • 我 女朋友 钱。My girlfriend's last name is Qian.
  • 你好,我 毛。Hello. My last name is Mao.
  • 潘,我 太太 宋。My last name is Pan. My wife's last name is Song.
  • 于。My last name is Yu.
  • 杨。My last name is Yang.
  • 我们 都 李。All of our last names are Li.

Asking Someone's Surname

You can also use 姓 to ask people their surnames. You could do this quite directly by saying:

  • 你 姓 什么 ? What is your last name?

However, the formal way to ask has a set form:

  • 您 贵 姓 ?What is your honourable surname?

Literally this means "What is your honourable surname?" Use this form to be polite when asking people their surnames.

See also

Sources and further reading