你叫什么名字？

Literal meaning

• 你

  nǐ

  you

• 叫

  jiào

  be called

• 什么

  shénme

  what

• 名字

  míngzi

  name

you · be-called · what · name

How to pronounce it

• 你

  nǐ

  ni3

  33rd · dipping

  Dip on 你. 叫 is 4th tone, so there is no 3–3 sandhi here.

• 叫

  jiào

  jiao4

  44th · falling

  Fall on “yow”.

• 什

  shén

  shen2

  22nd · rising

  Retroflex sh + “un”, rising.

• 么

  me

  me5

  ·neutral

  Always light. 什么 is one unit in speech.

• 名

  míng

  ming2

  22nd · rising

  m + “eeng”, rise.

• 字

  zi

  zi5

  ·neutral

  z (“ds”) + a dark “ih”. Neutral in 名字.