Usage note
贵姓是很礼貌地问别人姓什么。
guì xìng shì hěn lǐ mào dì wèn bié rén xìng shén me。
贵姓 is a polite way to ask someone's family name.
Context note
贵姓常用于正式场合和初次见面。
guì xìng cháng yòng yú zhèng shì chǎng hé hé chū cì jiàn miàn。
It is often used in formal settings and first meetings.
5 examples
请问您贵姓？
qǐng wèn nín guì xìng？
May I ask your surname?
他礼貌地问贵姓。
tā lǐ mào dì wèn guì xìng。
He politely asked for the surname.
贵姓是李吗？
guì xìng shì lǐ ma？
Is your surname Li?
老师先问贵姓。
lǎo shī xiān wèn guì xìng。
The teacher first asked the surname.
见面时可以问贵姓。
jiàn miàn shí kě yǐ wèn guì xìng。
You can ask for the surname when meeting.
5 mini stories
他第一次见面时先问贵姓。
tā dì yī cì jiàn miàn shí xiān wèn guì xìng。
When he met for the first time, he first asked for the surname.
老师教我们礼貌地问贵姓。
lǎo shī jiào wǒ men lǐ mào dì wèn guì xìng。
The teacher taught us to politely ask for the surname.
贵姓是很正式的说法。
guì xìng shì hěn zhèng shì de shuō fǎ。
贵姓 is a very formal expression.
他听完后说，原来您贵姓王。
tā tīng wán hòu shuō， yuán lái nín guì xìng wáng。
After hearing it, he said, so your surname is Wang.
初次见面时，问贵姓很常见。
chū cì jiàn miàn shí， wèn guì xìng hěn cháng jiàn。
When meeting for the first time, asking for the surname is common.
Mini dialogue
请问贵姓
A
您好，请问您贵姓？
Nín hǎo, qǐngwèn nín guìxìng?
Hello, may I ask your surname?
B
免贵，我姓王。
Miǎn guì, wǒ xìng Wáng.
You're too kind, my surname is Wang.
老师贵姓
A
新来的老师贵姓？
Xīn lái de lǎoshī guìxìng?
What is the surname of the new teacher?
B
她姓李，你可以叫她李老师。
Tā xìng Lǐ, nǐ kěyǐ jiào tā Lǐ lǎoshī.
Her surname is Li, you can call her Teacher Li.
Related words and contrasts
related
你叫什么名字
nǐ jiào shénme míngzì
What's your name?
Common way to ask someone's name
similar
姓
xìng
surname
The word for surname
contrast
名字
míngzì
given name
Given name, as opposed to surname