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

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* 我 <em>姓</em> 王。
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* 我 <em>姓</em> 王。<span class="trans">My last name is Wang.</span>
* 他 <em>姓</em> 李。
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* 他 <em>姓</em> 李。<span class="trans">His last name is Li.</span>
* 那 个 很 帅 的 男人 <em>姓</em> 葛。
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* 那 个 很 帅 的 男人 <em>姓</em> 葛。<span class="trans">That handsome guy's last name is Ge.</span>
  
 
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* 你姓什么?
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* 你姓什么?<span class="trans">What is your last name?</span>
  
 
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* 您贵姓?
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* 您贵姓?<span class="trans">What is your honourable surname?</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 05:58, 28 January 2013

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

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

Giving One's Surname

You can use 姓 to tell someone your own Surname

Structure

姓 can be used to give surnames in the following structure:

Subject + 姓 + Surname

examples

  • 王。My last name is Wang.
  • 李。His last name is Li.
  • 那 个 很 帅 的 男人 葛。That handsome guy's last name is Ge.

ask one'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 polite 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

Books