jiào: 叫 - To Call, To Shout, To Be Called

• Keywords: 叫, jiào, how to say “my name is” in Chinese, what does jiao mean, Chinese verb “to call”, call out in Chinese, shout in Chinese, Chinese grammar jiao, difference between 叫 and 是, causative verb Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 叫 (jiào), a fundamental HSK 1 word with surprisingly diverse meanings. This guide breaks down how to use 叫 for introductions (“My name is…”), to call for someone's attention, to shout, to order a taxi or takeout, and even as a causative verb to “make” or “ask” someone to do something. Master 叫 (jiào) to unlock a huge range of daily conversations in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiào
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: To call, to be called, to shout, or to ask (someone to do something).
• In a Nutshell: 叫 (jiào) is one of the very first and most versatile verbs you'll learn in Chinese. Its core idea revolves around using your voice to produce a result. This can be as simple as stating your name (e.g., “I am called…”), getting a friend's attention from across the street (“Hey!”), making an animal sound, or even telling someone to do an action (“He told me to come here”). Understanding its different functions is a key step to sounding natural in Chinese.

• 叫 (jiào): This is a phono-semantic compound character, which means it has a part for meaning and a part for sound.
• The left radical, 口 (kǒu), means “mouth.” This clearly indicates that the character's meaning is related to an action performed with the mouth, like speaking, calling, or shouting.
• The right part, 丩 (jiū), provides the phonetic sound. While not a perfect match today, it guides the pronunciation.
• Together, 口 (mouth) + 丩 (sound) create 叫, an action of the mouth that makes a sound—to call.

While 叫 is a simple verb, its usage touches on important Chinese social norms, especially regarding names and politeness.

• Introductions: Using “我叫 [Name]” (Wǒ jiào [Name]) is the standard, friendly, and all-purpose way to introduce yourself. It's equivalent to “My name is…” or “I'm called…” in English.
• Getting Attention: How you “call” someone matters. Shouting a person's name using 叫 can be perfectly normal between friends, but it's often considered impolite with strangers or elders. It can sound like a blunt “Hey you!”. In these situations, it's culturally more appropriate to use a polite phrase like `你好 (nǐ hǎo)` or `请问 (qǐngwèn)` to get someone's attention first.
• Contrast with Western Norms: In many Western cultures, calling out a person's first name to get their attention is very common, even with acquaintances. In China, especially in more formal or professional settings, it's much more common to address people by their family name plus a title (e.g., 王经理 Wáng Jīnglǐ - Manager Wang; 李老师 Lǐ Lǎoshī - Teacher Li). Simply 叫-ing their full name might be seen as overly direct or lacking in proper respect.

叫 is a grammatical powerhouse. Here are its main uses, from simplest to most complex.

This is the most common HSK 1 usage, meaning “to be called” or “my name is”.

• 我叫玛丽。(Wǒ jiào Mǎlì.) - My name is Mary.
• 他叫什么名字？(Tā jiào shénme míngzi?) - What is his name?

This is the literal act of calling out to a person.

• 妈妈在楼下叫你吃饭。(Māma zài lóuxià jiào nǐ chīfàn.) - Mom is downstairs calling you to eat.
• 你叫我吗？(Nǐ jiào wǒ ma?) - Are you calling me?

Here, 叫 describes a sound being made, often loudly.

• 别在图书馆里大叫！(Bié zài túshūguǎn lǐ dà jiào!) - Don't shout in the library!
• 那只猫一直在叫。(Nà zhī māo yìzhí zài jiào.) - That cat keeps meowing.

This is a crucial grammar point. 叫 acts like “to ask” or “to tell” someone to perform an action. The structure is: Subject + 叫 + Person + Verb Phrase.

• 老板叫我今天加班。(Lǎobǎn jiào wǒ jīntiān jiābān.) - The boss told me to work overtime today.
• 他叫你给他回个电话。(Tā jiào nǐ gěi tā huí ge diànhuà.) - He asked you to call him back.

This usage is extremely common in daily life for ordering services.

• 我们叫一辆车去机场吧。(Wǒmen jiào yí liàng chē qù jīchǎng ba.) - Let's call a car to go to the airport.
• 太累了，我们叫外卖吧。(Tài lèi le, wǒmen jiào wàimài ba.) - I'm too tired, let's order takeout.

• Example 1:
• 你好，我叫大卫。
• Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Dàwèi.
• English: Hello, my name is David.
• Analysis: The most basic and essential use of 叫 for self-introduction.
• Example 2:
• 老师叫我们多练习写汉字。
• Pinyin: Lǎoshī jiào wǒmen duō liànxí xiě Hànzì.
• English: The teacher told us to practice writing Chinese characters more.
• Analysis: A perfect example of the causative usage. The teacher (Subject) tells us (Person) to practice (Verb Phrase).
• Example 3:
• 你听，外面有只狗在叫。
• Pinyin: Nǐ tīng, wàimiàn yǒu zhī gǒu zài jiào.
• English: Listen, there's a dog barking outside.
• Analysis: Here, 叫 is used for an animal's cry. It's a general term; it can mean bark, meow, chirp, etc., depending on the animal.
• Example 4:
• 这个东西中文叫什么？
• Pinyin: Zhège dōngxi Zhōngwén jiào shénme?
• English: What is this thing called in Chinese?
• Analysis: A very useful phrase for learners. It shows how 叫 is used to ask for the name of an object, not just a person.
• Example 5:
• 你能帮我叫一辆出租车吗？
• Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ jiào yí liàng chūzūchē ma?
• English: Can you help me call a taxi?
• Analysis: Demonstrates the practical use of 叫 for ordering a service.
• Example 6:
• 他疼得叫了起来。
• Pinyin: Tā téng de jiào le qǐlái.
• English: He cried out in pain.
• Analysis: Shows 叫 used for a human cry or shout caused by a strong emotion or physical sensation. The `起来 (qǐlái)` indicates the beginning of the action.
• Example 7:
• 别叫我的全名，叫我安娜就行。
• Pinyin: Bié jiào wǒ de quánmíng, jiào wǒ Ānnà jiù xíng.
• English: Don't call me by my full name, just calling me Anna is fine.
• Analysis: This example contrasts calling someone by a full name versus a given name, highlighting its use in social preferences.
• Example 8:
• 经理叫他去办公室一趟。
• Pinyin: Jīnglǐ jiào tā qù bàngōngshì yí tàng.
• English: The manager asked him to go to the office.
• Analysis: Another clear example of the causative structure, common in workplace contexts.
• Example 9:
• 我不叫李雷，你认错人了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ bú jiào Lǐ Léi, nǐ rèn cuò rén le.
• English: My name isn't Li Lei, you've got the wrong person.
• Analysis: Demonstrates the negative form, `不叫 (bú jiào)`.
• Example 10:
• 快迟到了，我们叫个外卖在公司吃吧。
• Pinyin: Kuài chídào le, wǒmen jiào ge wàimài zài gōngsī chī ba.
• English: We're almost late, let's order takeout and eat at the office.
• Analysis: A highly authentic sentence you'd hear in modern urban China, combining the sense of urgency with the convenience of ordering food via 叫.

• `叫 (jiào)` vs. `是 (shì)`: This is a classic beginner mistake.
• Use 叫 (jiào) to state a name: 我叫汤姆。(Wǒ jiào Tāngmǔ.) - I am called Tom.
• Use 是 (shì) to state an identity or profession: 我是学生。(Wǒ shì xuéshēng.) - I am a student.
• Incorrect: `我是汤姆 (Wǒ shì Tāngmǔ)` is grammatically okay but less common for a first introduction than `我叫汤姆`. Incorrect: `我叫学生 (Wǒ jiào xuéshēng)` is completely wrong. You are called a name, you are an identity.
• `叫 (jiào)` vs. `喊 (hǎn)`: Both can mean “to call out,” but they have different intensities.
• 叫 (jiào) is a general term for calling. It can be soft or loud.
• 喊 (hǎn) specifically means to shout, yell, or holler. It implies high volume. You can `叫` someone from across a quiet room, but you would `喊` someone from across a noisy street.
• `叫 (jiào)` vs. `称呼 (chēnghu)`: 称呼 (chēnghu) is a more formal and polite word for “to address someone.”
• You use 叫 in everyday speech: 你叫他什么？ (Nǐ jiào tā shénme?) - What do you call him?
• You use 称呼 in formal or respectful situations: 在中国，我们应该怎么称呼您？(Zài Zhōngguó, wǒmen yīnggāi zěnme chēnghu nín?) - In China, how should we address you?

• 喊 (hǎn) - To shout or yell. It's a louder, more intense version of 叫.
• 称呼 (chēnghu) - To address (formally). Used when asking how to politely refer to someone.
• 名字 (míngzi) - Name. The noun that is often introduced by the verb 叫.
• 让 (ràng) - To let, allow, make. A causative verb that can sometimes be used interchangeably with 叫's causative function, though `让` can imply permission or yielding.
• 请 (qǐng) - To ask, to invite, please. A more polite way to ask someone to do something than the causative 叫. Compare: `请他进来 (qǐng tā jìnlái)` (Please ask him in) vs. `叫他进来 (jiào tā jìnlái)` (Tell him to come in).
• 告诉 (gàosu) - To tell. Used for relaying information, whereas causative 叫 is for giving a command or request.
• 外卖 (wàimài) - Takeout food. A noun frequently used with the verb 叫, as in `叫外卖`.
• 出租车 (chūzūchē) - Taxi. Another noun frequently paired with 叫, as in `叫出租车`.