Communicate in Chinese 交际汉语 Lesson 2: Introductions

会话A
(在会议大厅。)
(刘明走向 一名会议代表。)
刘明：您好！ 我是刘明。(递名片) 这是我的名片。
甲：您就是刘明啊！您好！见到您很高兴。
刘明：您贵姓？
甲：免贵姓张。 我叫张小锋。
刘明：您好，张先生。
甲：就叫我小锋吧。(走出)
Translation:
(In the conference hall.)
(Liu Ming walks towards a conference delegate.)
Liu Ming: Hello! I'm Liu Ming. (hands over business card) This is my business card.
A: So you're Liu Ming! How do you do? I'm very pleased to meet you.
Liu Ming: What's your surname?
A: My surname is Zhang. My name is Zhang Xiaofeng.
Liu Ming: How do you do, Mr. Zhang!
A: Just call me Xiaofeng. (walks out)
会话B
(在公园)
刘明：老王，你好！
王：刘明，你好，你好！
刘明：退休后还好吗？
王：还好，还好！你呢？
刘明：挺好的。老王，这是谁?你孙子吗？
王：不，这是我的外孙(儿) 。(对外孙儿说)这是刘叔叔。
外孙（儿）：刘叔叔好！
刘明：你好。
Translation:
(In the park.)
Liu Ming: Hello, Lao Wang!
Wang: Liu Ming, hello, hello!
Liu Ming: Have you been well since your retirement?
Wang: Pretty good, pretty good! What about you?
Liu Ming: Quite good. Lao Wang, who is he? Is this your grandson?
Wang: This is my daughter's son. (says to grandson) This is uncle Liu.
Grandson: Hello uncle Liu!
Liu Ming: Hello.
会话C
(刘明一家人在饭店吃饭。)
小江：(走近) 李老师，你好！
李红：小江，(惊奇地)你好！来，小江，让我来介绍一下(儿)。这是我先生，刘明。刘明，这是我的学生，小江。
刘 明：你好。
小江：你好。
李红：小江，这是我的女儿，兰兰。
小江：你好，兰兰。
兰兰：小江，你好。(嘿嘿笑)
李红：小江，一起吃吧！
小江：不了，李老师。我的女朋友(指……)
李红：哪位是你的女朋友？
小江：(指)那个高个(儿)的,她叫小燕。
Translation:
(Liu Ming is eating at a restaurant with his family.)
Xiao Jiang: (walks closer) Hello, Teacher Li!
Li Hong: Xiao Jiang,(surprised) hello! Come on, Xiao Jiang,let me introduce. This is my husband, Liu Ming. Liu Ming, this is my student, Xiao Jiang.
Liu Ming: How do you do.
Xiao Jiang: How do you do.
Li Hong: Xiao Jiang, this is my daughter, Lan Lan.
Xiao Jiang:Hello, Lan Lan.
Lan Lan: Hello, Xiao Jiang. (giggles)
Li Hong: Xiao Jiang, let's eat together!
Xiao Jiang: No thanks, Teacher Li.
Li Hong: My girlfriend (points...)
Xiao Jiang: Which one is your girlfriend? (points) The tall one ..., her name is Xiao Yan.

Cultural Background
Self-introductions don't usually involve titles or job positions.
In normal introductions, just say the occupation and name，for example, this is Mr. Wang，that is Teacher Li. This is Liu Ming and that is Li Hong, etc.
In China the surname "姓" comes first, while the given name" 名"or" 名字"comes second. This is the opposite order from what we use in English. In our dialogue there is a character called Liu Ming, the correct way would be to address him as Mr. Liu. Unfortunately, in order to make it more convenient for English speakers, sometimes Chinese people switch the order around. So he might introduce himself as Ming Liu. But there are ways to tell which the surname is and which the given name is. For example, most names are made of three syllables. For instance, Liu Xiaoming, so if the name is written together, you know that the syllable by itself, or Liu, is the surname. Xiaoming. would be the given name. The only exception occurs when some Chinese surnames have two syllables. For instance, "司徒","欧阳", "诸葛"is a very common two syllable surname.
In China, when introducing two or more people, start with the elder, then the younger person; start with the person in a senior position, to a junior person; the younger or junior person usually say "Hello" first. If someone is in a position of authority or much older, it can be considered impolite to call them directly by names. In this case, it is much better to call them by their titles. For instance," 刘部长"Minister Liu, or" 刘老师" Teacher Liu "刘经理"Manager Liu. Or if the person is much older,"刘叔叔", uncle Liu, is also considered polite.
Handshaking is the norm, while embraces are rare.

Language Points
1、"这是谁?" — "Who is this?", here the "谁" is an interrogative pronoun. In questions, the word can have two positions in the sentence: after the verb, "她是谁?""Who is she?"；in front of the verb, " 谁是老师?" "Who is the teacher?"
2、"让我来介绍一下儿" — "Let me introduce.", the "来" + verb means to do something. "一下儿" or "a bit" after the verb indicates the action or activity is for a short time.
3、"哪" — "Which" is followed by measurement words, it is pronounced as "n?i" when spoken; used on its own in spoken language it is pronounced "n?".
Explanatory Notes:
1、"您贵姓" is a polite way of asking for someone's surname. "贵"is a respectful word for others. Reply with: "My surname is...", or say your whole name: "My name is ...". But leave out the polite word, i.e. don't say" 我贵姓??" .
2、"我的女朋友??". In China, "女朋友girlfriend "or " 男朋友boyfriend" refer to lovers, if only talking about a normal friend, introduce them as: "This is my friend"；to avoid misunderstandings when talking about friends of the opposite sex, some people prefer to stress "female friend" or "male friend".
3、The "就是" in "您就是" stresses that something is really true. In the dialogue for example, "So you're Liu Ming!"
4、"还好,还好。" — "Pretty good, pretty good.", doubling"好"together expresses warmth.

Substitutional Drills
1、他/她是谁？Who is he/she?
他是刘经理。He is Manager Liu.
她是李老师。She is Teacher Li.
2、那位是? That person is...
她是我的女朋友。She is my girlfriend.
他是我的男 朋友。He is my boyfriend.
3、让我介绍一下? Let me introduce...
这是刘经理。This is Manager Liu.
那是李老师。That is Teacher Li.
4、您就是? So you're ...
我是大牛。I am Da Niu.
我是李红。I am Li Hong.
我叫刘明。My name is Liu Ming.
5、哪位是? Which one is...
你的老师your teacher
你的朋友your friend
6、您贵姓？What's your surname?
我姓张。My surname is Zhang .
我叫张小锋。My name is Zhang Xiaofeng.
我叫兰兰。My name is Lan Lan.
免贵姓李。My surname is Li.