How to say good night in Chinese
"Good night" in Chinese is 晚安 (wǎn ān). It is built from "night peace". 晚安 is said before going to sleep or in a late message; when leaving a dinner or party in the evening, people say 再见 instead.
Ways to say good night
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晚安 | wǎn ān | good night | The default answer. |
| 早点睡 | zǎo diǎn shuì | get to bed early | Caring and casual, to friends, family or a partner |
| 睡个好觉 | shuì ge hǎo jiào | sleep well | Friendly, often before a big day |
| 做个好梦 | zuò ge hǎo mèng | sweet dreams | Affectionate, to children or a partner |
| 早点休息 | zǎo diǎn xiū xi | get some rest | Polite and caring, to colleagues or anyone after a long day |
What people say back
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 很晚了，晚安！ | hěn wǎn le, wǎn ān! | It's late. Good night! |
| 今天辛苦了，早点休息吧。 | jīn tiān xīn kǔ le, zǎo diǎn xiū xi ba. | You worked hard today, get some rest. |
| 宝贝，晚安，做个好梦。 | bǎo bèi, wǎn ān, zuò ge hǎo mèng. | Good night, sweetheart, sweet dreams. |
| 明天还要早起，我先睡了，晚安。 | míng tiān hái yào zǎo qǐ, wǒ xiān shuì le, wǎn ān. | I have to be up early tomorrow, so I'm going to bed. Good night. |
The characters in 晚安
Common mistakes
- 晚安 is not "good evening". To greet someone in the evening, say 晚上好 or 你好.
- 觉 in 睡觉 and 睡个好觉 is jiào, not jué (the reading in 觉得).
- 安 is first tone: wǎn ān. Say the two syllables separately rather than running them into "wa-nan".
Related
- Good evening in Chinese: 晚上好
- I love you in Chinese: 我爱你
- I miss you in Chinese: 我想你
- Goodbye in Chinese: 再见
- All phrases and words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say good night in Chinese?
晚安 (wǎn ān), literally "night peace". Other ways: 早点睡 (zǎo diǎn shuì); 睡个好觉 (shuì ge hǎo jiào); 做个好梦 (zuò ge hǎo mèng).
What is the difference between 晚安 and 晚上好?
晚上好 (wǎn shang hǎo) is a greeting, "good evening". 晚安 (wǎn ān) is said before sleep, "good night".
How do you say good night to someone you love in Chinese?
Say 晚安，做个好梦 (wǎn ān, zuò ge hǎo mèng), "good night, sweet dreams", or add 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ).
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