喂，我是……
wéi, wǒ shì...
Hello, this is … (on the phone)
喂，我是…… (wéi, wǒ shì...) is the standard way to answer the phone and introduce yourself in Mandarin Chinese, similar to "hello, this is..." in English.
What does 喂，我是…… (wéi, wǒ shì...) mean?
喂，我是…… (wéi, wǒ shì...) means “hello, this is … (on the phone)” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “Hello, I am...”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. It's the most common way to introduce yourself on a phone call. When answering, you can just say 喂 (wéi). If you're calling someone, you'd usually start with 喂, 您好 (wéi, nín hǎo) or just 您好 (nín hǎo), then introduce yourself.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “way, WOH shrr.” The "wéi" often uses a rising tone when answering the phone, while "wǒ shì" are pronounced with their standard third and fourth tones.
Other ways to say it
- 喂wéihello (on the phone, just answering)
- 我是[名字]wǒ shì [míngzi]this is [name]
- 请问您是哪位？qǐngwèn nín shì nǎ wèi?May I ask who this is? (polite)
Examples
喂，我是……，请问您是哪位？
wéi, wǒ shì..., qǐngwèn nín shì nǎ wèi?
Hello, this is..., may I ask who this is?
喂，我是小王，请问李经理在吗？
wéi, wǒ shì Xiǎo Wáng, qǐngwèn Lǐ jīnglǐ zài ma?
Hello, this is Xiao Wang, is Manager Li in?
你打过去，就说“喂，我是[你的名字]”。
nǐ dǎ guòqù, jiù shuō "wéi, wǒ shì [nǐ de míngzi]".
When you call, just say "Hello, this is [your name]."
Pro tip: The character 喂 has two common pinyin readings: wéi (rising tone) when answering the phone, and wèi (falling tone) when calling out to get someone's attention.
Related phrases
我把文件发给你 · I'll send you the file恭喜你升职 · Congratulations on your promotion请问您找哪位？ · Who would you like to speak to
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