How to say hello in Chinese
"Hello" in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo). It is built from "you good". 你好 is the standard hello for strangers, shop staff and new people; friends who see each other often usually greet with a name, 嗨 or a question instead.
Ways to say hello
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | hello | The default answer. |
| 嗨 | hāi | hi | Casual, with friends and people your age, in person or in messages |
| 喂 | wéi | hello? | Only when answering or starting a phone call |
| 你们好 | nǐ men hǎo | hello (to a group) | Greeting two or more people at once, such as a few new classmates |
| 大家好 | dà jiā hǎo | hello everyone | Opening a talk, a class, a video or a group message |
| 您好 | nín hǎo | hello (polite) | To elders, customers, teachers, officials and anyone you want to show respect |
What people say back
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你好，我是新来的同事。 | nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì xīn lái de tóng shì. | Hi, I'm the new colleague. |
| 您好，请问地铁站怎么走？ | nín hǎo, qǐng wèn dì tiě zhàn zěn me zǒu? | Hello, could you tell me how to get to the subway station? |
| 喂，你好，请问是王老师吗？ | wéi, nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn shì wáng lǎo shī ma? | Hello? Hi, is this Teacher Wang? |
| 大家好，我叫李明。 | dà jiā hǎo, wǒ jiào lǐ míng. | Hello everyone, my name is Li Ming. |
The characters in 你好
Common mistakes
- 你好吗 is not hello. It means "how are you?" and expects an answer, so do not open a conversation with a stranger or a shop assistant with it.
- Both syllables of 你好 are third tone. In speech the first one rises (it sounds like ní hǎo), but it is still written nǐ hǎo.
- 喂 is a phone word. Shouting 喂 to get a stranger's attention in person sounds rude; use 你好 or 不好意思 instead.
- Use 您好 rather than 你好 with older people, customers and teachers. 你好 is not rude, but 您好 is what they expect.
Related
- How are you in Chinese: 你好吗
- Goodbye in Chinese: 再见
- My name is in Chinese: 我叫李明
- Good morning in Chinese: 早上好
- All phrases and words
Frequently asked questions
How do you say hello in Chinese?
你好 (nǐ hǎo), literally "you good". Other ways: 嗨 (hāi); 喂 (wéi); 你们好 (nǐ men hǎo).
What does ni hao mean?
你好 (nǐ hǎo) is the standard way to say hello in Mandarin. Word for word it is "you good".
What is the difference between ni hao and ni hao ma?
你好 (nǐ hǎo) is a greeting: hello. 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) is a question, "how are you?", and you ask it of someone you already know, not as a first greeting.
How do you say hello on the phone in Chinese?
Say 喂 (wéi) when you pick up, often followed by 你好 (nǐ hǎo). 喂 is only used this way on the phone.
How do you say hello politely in Mandarin?
Use 您好 (nín hǎo). 您 is the polite form of 你, used with elders, customers and people you respect.
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