Hello & Greetings in Chinese 问候
wènhòu
Hello in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo).
Also searched for as: hello, hi, ni hao, chinese greetings.
Where everything starts: saying hello. 15 essential greetings 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 most common greeting in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo), literally 'you good', and it works with almost anyone. These words cover saying hello and goodbye, thanking people and apologising, from the polite 您好 (nín hǎo) for older people and customers to the warm 好久不见 (hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn) for friends you haven't seen in a while. Learn them first and you can open and close almost any conversation politely.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | hello |
| 您好 | nín hǎo | hello (polite) |
| 早上好 | zǎo shang hǎo | good morning |
| 晚上好 | wǎn shang hǎo | good evening |
| 再见 | zài jiàn | goodbye |
| 谢谢 | xiè xie | thank you |
| 不客气 | bù kè qi | you're welcome |
| 对不起 | duì bu qǐ | sorry |
| 没关系 | méi guān xi | it doesn't matter |
| 请 | qǐng | please |
| 你好吗 | nǐ hǎo ma | how are you? |
| 我很好 | wǒ hěn hǎo | I'm fine |
| 明天见 | míng tiān jiàn | see you tomorrow |
| 好久不见 | hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn | long time no see |
| 欢迎 | huān yíng | welcome |
Usage tips
- Among friends, 你好 (nǐ hǎo) can feel a little stiff; people often just say the other person's name, or ask 吃了吗？ (chī le ma), 'have you eaten?', as a friendly check-in rather than a real invitation.
- Use 您好 (nín hǎo) for teachers, older people, customers and anyone you want to show respect to; shop staff and service lines use it constantly.
- 再见 (zài jiàn) is the standard goodbye, but people often name the next meeting instead, as in 明天见 (míng tiān jiàn), 'see you tomorrow', or 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn), 'see you later'.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 不客气 (bù kè qi) and 没关系 (méi guān xi): 不客气 answers 谢谢 (xiè xie), while 没关系 answers 对不起 (duì bu qǐ). Replying 没关系 to thanks sounds like 'never mind'.
- Using 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) as a routine 'how are you?' with everyone sounds like a textbook; natives use it mostly with people they haven't seen for a while. For a casual check-in, try 最近怎么样？ (zuì jìn zěn me yàng), 'how have things been?'
- Saying 晚上好 (wǎn shang hǎo) when leaving at night: it's a greeting on arrival, not 'good night'. When going to bed or parting late, say 晚安 (wǎn ān).
Mini dialogue
- A李老师，早上好！Lǐ lǎo shī, zǎo shang hǎo!Good morning, Ms Li!
- B早上好！好久不见，你好吗？Zǎo shang hǎo! Hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn, nǐ hǎo ma?Good morning! Long time no see, how are you?
- A我很好，谢谢。您呢？Wǒ hěn hǎo, xiè xie. Nín ne?I'm fine, thanks. And you?
- B我也很好。明天见！Wǒ yě hěn hǎo. Míng tiān jiàn!I'm fine too. See you tomorrow!
- A好，再见！Hǎo, zài jiàn!OK, bye!
Example sentences
- 欢迎你来我家做客！Welcome to my home!
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Greetings speaking island has 8 everyday questions about greetings to prepare your own answers to.