How to Say “Where are you from?” in Chinese
Small talk and travel · HSK 1
"Where are you from?" in Chinese is 你是哪里人？ (nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén). 你是哪里人 (nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén, "you are what-place person?") is the Chinese pattern for asking origin. Reply with 我是X人; country level: 我是美国人 (I am American), 英国人 (British), 加拿大人 (Canadian).
Primary translation
你是哪里人？
nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén
Traditional: 你是哪裡人？
Variants by register
Casual
你从哪儿来？
nǐ cóng nǎr lái
When to use it
你是哪里人 (nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén, "you are what-place person?") is the Chinese pattern for asking origin. Reply with 我是X人; country level: 我是美国人 (I am American), 英国人 (British), 加拿大人 (Canadian). Within China the answer is a province or city: 我是北京人 (I am from Beijing). 你从哪儿来 (where did you come from?) is casual and focused on current trip rather than origin.
Example sentences
你是哪里人？
Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?
Where are you from?
我是美国人，来自纽约。
Wǒ shì Měiguó rén, láizì Niǔyuē.
I am American, from New York.
你来中国多久了？
Nǐ lái Zhōngguó duōjiǔ le?
How long have you been in China?