How to say good afternoon in Chinese
"Good afternoon" in Chinese is 下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo). It is built from "afternoon good". 下午好 sounds a little formal: it fits meetings, classes, shops and broadcasts, while friends just say 你好 or greet each other by name.
Ways to say good afternoon
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 下午好 | xià wǔ hǎo | good afternoon | The default answer. |
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | hello | Casual, any time of day, the safe choice with friends |
| 中午好 | zhōng wǔ hǎo | good afternoon (around noon) | Around midday, at work or school |
| 午安 | wǔ ān | good afternoon | Heard more in Taiwan; on the mainland mostly in messages |
| 大家下午好 | dà jiā xià wǔ hǎo | good afternoon, everyone | Opening a meeting, class or presentation |
What people say back
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 各位同事，下午好！ | gè wèi tóng shì, xià wǔ hǎo! | Good afternoon, colleagues! |
| 下午好，欢迎收听今天的节目。 | xià wǔ hǎo, huān yíng shōu tīng jīn tiān de jié mù. | Good afternoon, and welcome to today's show. |
| 张老师，下午好！ | zhāng lǎo shī, xià wǔ hǎo! | Good afternoon, Teacher Zhang! |
| 大家下午好，我们开始上课吧。 | dà jiā xià wǔ hǎo, wǒ men kāi shǐ shàng kè ba. | Good afternoon, everyone, let's start the class. |
The characters in 下午好
Common mistakes
- Tones: 下 is fourth (xià), 午 third (wǔ), 好 third (hǎo).
- Between close friends 下午好 sounds stiff; 你好, a name or 嗨 is more natural.
- Do not confuse 午 (wǔ, noon) with 五 (wǔ, five): same sound, different character.
Related
- Good morning in Chinese: 早上好
- Good evening in Chinese: 晚上好
- Hello in Chinese: 你好
- Good night in Chinese: 晚安
- All phrases and words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say good afternoon in Chinese?
下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo), literally "afternoon good". Other ways: 你好 (nǐ hǎo); 中午好 (zhōng wǔ hǎo); 午安 (wǔ ān).
How do you say good afternoon in Chinese?
下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo). In casual situations 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is just as common.
Do Chinese people say 午安?
午安 (wǔ ān) is heard more in Taiwan. On the mainland, 下午好 is the usual spoken form and 午安 appears mostly in messages.
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