Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.
名míngname
夕evening · xī
口mouth · kǒu
Memory aidEvening 夕 and a mouth 口: in the dark you call out your name.
字zìletterlight in 名字
宀roof · mián
子child · zǐ
Memory aidA child 子 under a roof 宀, learning to write: a written character.
How to write 名字
名 6 strokes · 字 6 strokes
Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.
Stroke order chart for 名字 (míngzi). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.
名字 (míngzi) means “name” or “name (of a person or thing)”. It is an HSK 1 word, so it is one of the words learners meet early.
Say it míngzi: míng with a 2nd tone, then zi with a neutral tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 名字 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type mingzi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 名字 from the suggestions. Typing mingzi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
名字 is an HSK 1 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.
Turn words into conversations
A dictionary gives you the words. A native teacher shows you how to use them. Start with a free 30-minute intro call.
Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.
名míng2nd tone, rising
字zineutral tone, light and short
