How to say how are you in Chinese
"How are you" in Chinese is 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma). It is built from "you good (question)". 你好吗 is a real question for someone you know, often after time apart; friends more often ask 最近怎么样, and none of these are used as a hello to strangers.
Ways to say how are you
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你好吗 | nǐ hǎo ma | how are you | The default answer. |
| 怎么样 | zěn me yàng | how's it going? | Casual, with friends, often about something specific |
| 最近怎么样 | zuì jìn zěn me yàng | how have you been? | Friends and colleagues you have not seen for a while |
| 最近好吗 | zuì jìn hǎo ma | how have you been lately? | Friendly catch-up in person, on the phone or in messages |
| 吃了吗 | chī le ma | have you eaten? | A greeting around mealtimes, often between neighbors, not an invitation |
| 您身体好吗 | nín shēn tǐ hǎo ma | are you keeping well? | To elders, asking politely after their health |
What people say back
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我很好，你呢？ | wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne? | I'm fine, and you? |
| 还行 | hái xíng | not bad, OK |
| 不错 | bù cuò | pretty good |
| 挺好的 | tǐng hǎo de | pretty good |
| 老样子 | lǎo yàng zi | same as always |
| 最近有点忙 | zuì jìn yǒu diǎn máng | a bit busy lately |
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好久不见！你最近怎么样？ | hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn! nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng? | Long time no see! How have you been? |
| 王阿姨，您身体好吗？ | wáng ā yí, nín shēn tǐ hǎo ma? | Auntie Wang, are you keeping well? |
| 你好吗？我很好，谢谢。你呢？ | nǐ hǎo ma? wǒ hěn hǎo, xiè xie. nǐ ne? | How are you? I'm fine, thanks. And you? |
| 新工作怎么样？还行，就是有点累。 | xīn gōng zuò zěn me yàng? hái xíng, jiù shì yǒu diǎn lèi. | How's the new job? It's OK, just a bit tiring. |
The characters in 你好吗
Common mistakes
- 你好吗 is not a greeting for a stranger or a shop assistant; for them just say 你好.
- In 我很好 the 很 is mostly grammatical, not a strong "very": 我好 alone sounds unfinished, so keep 很.
- In 还行 the 行 is xíng, not háng.
- 吃了吗 is a greeting, not an invitation to eat. A short 吃了 or 还没 is the whole answer.
Related
- Hello in Chinese: 你好
- Yes in Chinese: 是
- 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 how are you in Chinese?
你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma), literally "you good (question)". Other ways: 怎么样 (zěn me yàng); 最近怎么样 (zuì jìn zěn me yàng); 最近好吗 (zuì jìn hǎo ma).
What does ni hao ma mean?
你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) means "how are you?". 吗 turns 你好 into a yes-no question.
How do you answer 你好吗?
Say 我很好，你呢？ (wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?), "I'm fine, and you?". More casual answers are 还行 (hái xíng) and 不错 (bù cuò).
Do Chinese people really say 你好吗?
They do, but mostly to people they know and have not seen for a while. 最近怎么样 (zuì jìn zěn me yàng) is the more common catch-up question among friends.
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