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名

名 (míng) Chinese Character: name; measure word for people

6 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 口

At evening 夕, use your mouth 口 to say your name.

Practice 名 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: Calling a Name in the Dark

名 (míng) means “name” and appears in 名字, the everyday word for a person’s name. It also works as a formal measure word for people: 一名老师 means “one teacher.” The traditional evening-and-mouth explanation is a memorable scene rather than a modern word equation: when it is too dark to recognize a face, call out a name. Keep the second tone rising: míng.

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

名字
名name字written label=name
有名
有have名name or reputation=famous

Chinese character origin and etymology

Traditional analysis combines 夕, “evening,” with 口, “mouth.” When faces were difficult to see at night, a person could identify themselves by speaking a name.

In modern simplified Chinese, 名 is written with 6 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 名 contains 夕 and 口. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

名 is written with 6 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 夕 — evening — creates the traditional nighttime scene
  • 口 — mouth — a person says a name aloud

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 名 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

你叫什么名字？ Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? What is your name?
我的名字是安娜。 Wǒ de míngzi shì Ānnà. My name is Anna.
她是一名老师。 Tā shì yì míng lǎoshī. She is a teacher.

Learning tips for 名

Learn the reading as one unit: míng, with the second tone: rising. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “name; measure word for people,” and write the 6 strokes from memory.

Because 名 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 字 (zì, written character; word); 口 (kǒu, mouth); 人 (rén, person). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 名 without pinyin?
  • Can you say míng with the correct tone and explain “name; measure word for people”?
  • Can you write all 6 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 名 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.