叫 (to be called)

• 拼音: jiào
• 结构: Subject + 叫 + Name
• 汉字拆解: 叫 = 口 (mouth) + 丩 (entangle)

含义

The verb 叫 (jiào) is used to state or ask someone's name. In the pattern Subject + 叫 + Name, it means 'to be called' or 'my name is.' No additional verb like 是 is needed.

The verb 叫 has multiple meanings, but its most basic use is for introductions and identifying names. The pattern 我叫... is the standard way to say 'My name is...' in Chinese. For asking names, 你叫什么名字? is the most common form. Note that 叫 literally means 'to call' or 'to shout,' and the name-giving usage evolved from 'people call me [name].' Unlike 姓 which is used specifically for surnames, 叫 is used for full names or given names. In formal contexts, 我叫... can be replaced with the more polite 我的名字是..., though the meaning is the same.

例句

1. 我叫李明，很高兴认识你。
2. 你叫什么名字？
3. 他叫张伟，是我的同事。

用法指南

语境: spoken, everyday, introductions

语气: conversational

正确说法

• 你好，我叫王芳，请多关照。
• 请问你叫什么？
• 我的女儿叫小雨。

错误说法

• 我叫是李明。(Do not add 是 after 叫 — 叫 already functions as the verb, adding 是 creates a double verb) → 我叫李明。
• 我叫姓张。(叫 is for full names or given names, not for surnames — use 姓 for surnames: 我姓张) → 我姓张。

起源与历史

The character 叫 contains the radical 口 (mouth), reflecting its original meaning of 'to cry out' or 'to call.' The usage for stating names derives from the idea of 'what people call you,' which is a common semantic shift seen across many languages.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal