How to say goodbye in Chinese
"Goodbye" in Chinese is 再见 (zài jiàn). It is built from "again see". 再见 works everywhere; with friends 拜拜 is just as common, and a host or shopkeeper sees a guest off with 慢走.
Ways to say goodbye
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 再见 | zài jiàn | goodbye | The default answer. |
| 拜拜 | bái bái | bye-bye | Casual, with friends, family, on the phone and in messages |
| 回头见 | huí tóu jiàn | see you later | Casual, when you expect to see the person again soon |
| 明天见 | míng tiān jiàn | see you tomorrow | Classmates and colleagues parting at the end of the day |
| 我先走了 | wǒ xiān zǒu le | I'm heading off | Said by the person leaving a group, office or party |
| 慢走 | màn zǒu | take care, see you | Said by a host or shopkeeper to someone leaving, never by the leaver |
| 走好 | zǒu hǎo | take care on your way | Like 慢走, said by the one staying to a departing guest |
What people say back
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我先走了，明天见！ | wǒ xiān zǒu le, míng tiān jiàn! | I'm off, see you tomorrow! |
| 谢谢老师，再见！ | xiè xie lǎo shī, zài jiàn! | Thank you, teacher, goodbye! |
| 好的，那就这样，拜拜！ | hǎo de, nà jiù zhè yàng, bái bái! | OK, that's settled then, bye! |
| 您慢走，欢迎下次再来。 | nín màn zǒu, huān yíng xià cì zài lái. | Take care, and come again. |
The characters in 再见
Common mistakes
- 慢走 and 走好 are said by the person staying behind. If you are the one leaving, say 再见 or 我先走了.
- Both syllables of 再见 are fourth tone: zài jiàn. Keep them short and falling.
- Among friends, 拜拜 or 明天见 often sounds warmer than a plain 再见.
Related
- Hello in Chinese: 你好
- Good night in Chinese: 晚安
- Polite phrases in Chinese: 不客气
- Thank you in Chinese: 谢谢
- All phrases and words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say goodbye in Chinese?
再见 (zài jiàn), literally "again see". Other ways: 拜拜 (bái bái); 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn); 明天见 (míng tiān jiàn).
What does zai jian mean?
再见 (zài jiàn) means goodbye. Word for word it is "again see", like "see you again".
How do you say see you tomorrow in Chinese?
明天见 (míng tiān jiàn). The same pattern works with other times: 下周见 (xià zhōu jiàn) is "see you next week".
What does 慢走 mean?
慢走 (màn zǒu) literally means "walk slowly". A host or shop assistant says it to someone leaving, meaning "take care".
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