Saying goodbye & keeping in touch in Chinese 告别
gàobié
Goodbye in Chinese is 再见 (zài jiàn).
Also searched for as: bye in Chinese, see you later in Chinese, keep in touch, farewell, see you soon, take care in Chinese.
See you later, take care, let's stay in touch. 15 essential saying goodbye & keeping in touch words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The basic goodbye in Chinese is 再见 (zài jiàn), literally "see again", but in everyday life people use plenty of alternatives. Friends often say 拜拜 (bái bái), borrowed from English, or 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn), "see you later". Hosts see guests off with 慢走 (màn zǒu), and to keep a friendship going you might say 保持联系 (bǎo chí lián xì), "let's keep in touch".
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 再见 | zài jiàn | goodbye |
| 拜拜 | bái bái | bye-bye |
| 回头见 | huí tóu jiàn | see you later |
| 明天见 | míng tiān jiàn | see you tomorrow |
| 慢走 | màn zǒu | take care (to a departing guest) |
| 路上小心 | lù shang xiǎo xīn | take care on the way |
| 到家说一声 | dào jiā shuō yī shēng | let me know when you're home |
| 保持联系 | bǎo chí lián xì | to keep in touch |
| 常联系 | cháng lián xì | stay in touch |
| 后会有期 | hòu huì yǒu qī | until we meet again (a bit dramatic) |
| 一路平安 | yī lù píng ān | have a safe journey |
| 舍不得 | shě bu de | can't bear to part with |
| 想你 | xiǎng nǐ | to miss you |
| 送行 | sòng xíng | to see someone off |
| 有空再聚 | yǒu kòng zài jù | let's get together again sometime |
Usage tips
- 慢走 (màn zǒu), literally "walk slowly", is said only by the person staying behind, typically a host or shopkeeper, to someone leaving. A polite guest might reply 留步 (liú bù), "no need to see me out".
- Caring send-offs are very common: 路上小心 (lù shang xiǎo xīn) for someone heading out, 到家说一声 (dào jiā shuō yī shēng) for a friend going home late, and 一路平安 (yī lù píng ān) for a longer journey.
- 拜拜 is usually said with a rising tone, bái bái, even though dictionaries give bài bài, and in texts you'll see 88 (bā bā). It's casual, so use 再见 (zài jiàn) with teachers or clients.
Common mistakes
- Learners say 慢走 (màn zǒu) to their host as they leave, which sounds backwards. As the guest, say 再见 (zài jiàn) or 我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le).
- 后会有期 (hòu huì yǒu qī) sounds dramatic, like a martial arts hero parting for years. For an ordinary goodbye to a friend, 有空再聚 (yǒu kòng zài jù) or 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn) is more natural.
Mini dialogue
- A时间不早了，我先走了。Shí jiān bù zǎo le, wǒ xiān zǒu le.It's getting late, I'd better head off.
- B好，路上小心，到家说一声。Hǎo, lù shang xiǎo xīn, dào jiā shuō yī shēng.OK, take care on the way and let me know when you're home.
- A没问题。今天谢谢你的招待！Méi wèn tí. Jīn tiān xiè xie nǐ de zhāo dài!Will do. Thanks for having me today!
- B客气什么，有空再聚！慢走啊！Kè qi shén me, yǒu kòng zài jù! Màn zǒu a!Don't mention it, let's get together again soon! Take care!
- A拜拜！Bái bái!Bye!
Example sentences
- 我先走了，再见！I'm heading off now, bye!
- 拜拜，有空再聊！Bye, chat later!
- 我先去忙了，回头见！I've got to get going, see you later!
- 今天就到这儿，明天见！That's it for today, see you tomorrow!
- 谢谢你来，慢走啊！Thanks for coming, take care!
- 天黑了，路上小心。It's dark, take care on the way.
- 到家说一声啊。Let me know when you get home.
- 以后我们保持联系！Let's keep in touch!
- 有空常联系啊！Keep in touch when you're free!
- 朋友们，后会有期！Friends, until we meet again!
- 祝你一路平安，到了给我发消息！Have a safe journey, message me when you land!
- 真舍不得你走。I really don't want you to go.
- 你走了以后我会想你的！I'll miss you when you've gone!
- 明天我去机场给你送行。I'll come to the airport tomorrow to see you off.
- 下次有空再聚！Let's get together again next time we're free!
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Saying goodbye & keeping in touch speaking island has 8 everyday questions about saying goodbye & keeping in touch to prepare your own answers to.