Basic Chinese Greetings: Your Essential Guide to Getting Started

When you’re learning a new language, greetings are often one of the first skills to master. Not only are greetings easy to learn, but they also set the stage for friendly and polite conversations. In this guide, you’ll learn a variety of basic Chinese greetings that can be used in different settings, with explanations, examples, and pronunciation tips.

1. Introduction to Chinese Greetings: Why They’re Important

In Mandarin Chinese, greetings are essential for both casual and formal interactions. Whether you’re traveling, making friends, or working in China, knowing how to greet others in their language shows respect and builds rapport. Chinese greetings often differ depending on the time of day, the level of formality, and the closeness of the relationship.

2. Basics: How to Say “Hello” in Chinese

The most common and universal greeting in Mandarin is “你好” (nǐ hǎo), which means "hello". It’s used for greeting people casually or in informal situations, similar to saying "hi" or "hello" in English.

Phrase	Pinyin	Meaning
你好	nǐ hǎo	Hello
您好	nín hǎo	Hello (polite)

• 你好 (nǐ hǎo): This is the general way to say hello. "nǐ" means "you," and "hǎo" means "good."
• 您好 (nín hǎo): For a more formal greeting, use "nín hǎo." Here, "nín" is a polite form of "you," showing respect when addressing elders or superiors.

3. “How Are You?” in Mandarin Chinese

After greeting someone, you might want to ask how they are. This is often done by simply saying “你好吗?” (nǐ hǎo ma?), which translates to “How are you?”

Phrase	Pinyin	Meaning
你好吗？	nǐ hǎo ma?	How are you?
最近怎么样？	zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?	How have you been recently?

• 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma?): This is a general way to ask someone how they are, though it's less common in day-to-day Chinese than in English.
• 最近怎么样? (zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?): This translates to "How have you been recently?" and is commonly used between friends or acquaintances.

4. Responses to “How Are You?”

When asked “你好吗?” (nǐ hǎo ma?), there are several typical responses you can give.

Response	Pinyin	Meaning
我很好，谢谢	wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè	I’m good, thank you
还可以	hái kěyǐ	I’m okay
不太好	bù tài hǎo	Not so good

• 我很好，谢谢 (wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè): "I'm good, thank you." This is the most positive response.
• 还可以 (hái kěyǐ): "I’m okay" or "I’m alright." Use this if you’re doing fine but not particularly excited.
• 不太好 (bù tài hǎo): "Not so good." This is a more reserved way to say you're not feeling well, though it's polite to add a smile to soften it.

5. Time-Specific Greetings

Chinese has specific greetings for different times of the day. These are especially useful in formal settings.

Greeting	Pinyin	Meaning
早上好	zǎoshang hǎo	Good morning
下午好	xiàwǔ hǎo	Good afternoon
晚上好	wǎnshang hǎo	Good evening
晚安	wǎn’ān	Good night

• 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo): "Good morning." Use this before 10 AM.
• 下午好 (xiàwǔ hǎo): "Good afternoon." This is common after lunch and before 6 PM.
• 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo): "Good evening," commonly used from 6 PM onwards.
• 晚安 (wǎn’ān): "Good night." This is a goodbye greeting for the end of the day and is used before going to sleep.

6. Casual Greetings for Friends

When speaking with friends, you can use more casual greetings to match the informal setting. Here are a few common ones:

Greeting	Pinyin	Meaning
嗨	hāi	Hi
嘿	hēi	Hey
最近怎么样？	zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?	How’s it going?

• 嗨 (hāi): This is a casual way to say "Hi," borrowed from English and commonly used among young people.
• 嘿 (hēi): Similar to “Hey!” in English and usually followed by the person’s name.
• 最近怎么样? (zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?): A casual way to ask "How's it going?"

7. Farewell Phrases: Saying Goodbye

In Chinese, there are several ways to say goodbye, depending on the formality of the situation.

Phrase	Pinyin	Meaning
再见	zàijiàn	Goodbye
拜拜	bāibāi	Bye-bye
明天见	míngtiān jiàn	See you tomorrow
一会儿见	yíhuìr jiàn	See you in a bit

• 再见 (zàijiàn): This is the standard way to say “Goodbye.”
• 拜拜 (bāibāi): Borrowed from English, this is an informal and casual way to say "Bye-bye."
• 明天见 (míngtiān jiàn): Use this if you’ll see the person again the next day.
• 一会儿见 (yíhuìr jiàn): Means "See you in a bit," used when you’ll see the person soon.

8. Polite Expressions for Greetings and Farewells

Using polite expressions can make a great impression in Chinese culture, especially in formal settings or when showing respect.

Phrase	Pinyin	Meaning
请多关照	qǐng duō guānzhào	Please take care of me
多谢	duō xiè	Many thanks
不好意思	bù hǎo yìsi	Excuse me (for minor offenses)
麻烦您了	máfan nín le	Sorry for the trouble

• 请多关照 (qǐng duō guānzhào): Often used when meeting new people, it means "Please take care of me" or "Please be kind to me."
• 多谢 (duō xiè): Means "many thanks" and can be used to express gratitude.
• 不好意思 (bù hǎo yìsi): Used as a polite "excuse me" if you accidentally bump into someone.
• 麻烦您了 (máfan nín le): "Sorry for the trouble" and is very polite.

9. Cultural Insights: Proper Etiquette with Greetings

In Chinese culture, politeness and respect are emphasized, especially with people of a higher social status, older individuals, or in professional settings. Some cultural tips:

• Use 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ) when greeting someone respectfully.
• Add 小 (xiǎo) or 老 (lǎo): In friendly settings, people sometimes add 小 (xiǎo, meaning "little") before someone’s family name for younger people, or 老 (lǎo, meaning "old") for someone older.

10. Conclusion

Knowing these greetings and basic phrases will help you connect and communicate in Mandarin Chinese. Practice often, pay attention to tones, and try using these greetings in real conversations whenever possible. With consistent practice, you’ll soon feel comfortable greeting people in Mandarin and showing respect in various settings.