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Everyday Chinese Greetings and Expressions, with Pinyin

Saying hello

Three ways to start, from the most general to the most polite.

Pinyin is given as in the dictionary. In speech, 你好 sounds like ní hǎo: when two third tones come together, the first is said as a second tone (more in the third tone).

Good morning, good night

How are you? and "long time no see"

What people really say. 你好吗 is the question most books teach, but several teaching sources point out that native speakers rarely use it and that it sounds textbook-like; among friends you hear 最近怎么样 more. Usage varies by region. 吃了吗 is not an invitation to eat: it is a greeting among neighbors, friends and coworkers, and today it is used mostly by older people. You answer with what is true, for example 吃了，你呢？ (chī le, nǐ ne?, "yes, and you?"). Asking a stranger sounds odd. In 好久不见, 不 is said bú before jiàn, and 好久 sounds like háo jiǔ.

Introducing yourself and meeting people

请多关照 and 请多指教 are not translated word by word: they are courtesy formulas said when introducing yourself, playing a role similar to "pleased to meet you, I count on you". In a Japanese-Chinese dictionary they appear as equivalents of よろしくお願いします.

Saying thanks and replying

Before a fourth tone, 不 is said bú: 不客气 sounds like bú kèqi and 不用谢 like bú yòng xiè.

Apologizing and asking to pass

In short: 对不起 is the serious apology; 不好意思 is the light, everyday one; and you reply with 没关系 or 没事.

Saying goodbye

Congratulating, toasting and cheering on

加油 is a cheer and is heard a lot at sports events. In 干杯 the characters mean "dry cup": it is said when making a toast.

How to sound natural

• Start with 你好 and 谢谢. With those two words and a smile you handle most first contacts.
• Use 您 with people you want to respect. It is the polite form of "you" and does not change the rest of the sentence.
• Do not rely on literal translation. Phrases like 吃了吗 or 加油 have a social meaning different from their word-by-word translation.
• Mind the tones. A greeting with wrong tones can still be understood, but it shows; review the tones and the pinyin chart.

How Macalaoshi does it

In Macalaoshi you collect characters from HSK 1 to 4 (more than 1300 words and characters in all), and every character you get right goes up a level; what you miss comes back for you to review. The most basic greetings (你好, 谢谢, 再见) are on the HSK 1 list, and you can practice writing each character stroke by stroke, in the correct order, while you move through the story with Lili against the Empress.

The pinyin in the tables follows the dictionary. Real pronunciation can vary by region and by speaker.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "hello" in Chinese?

你好 (nǐ hǎo) works for anyone at any time. To show respect, say 您好 (nín hǎo), where 您 is the polite form of "you".

How do you reply to 谢谢 (thank you)?

The usual replies are 不客气 (bú kèqi) or 不用谢 (bú yòng xiè), both meaning "you're welcome". To answer a compliment modestly, say 哪里哪里 (nǎlǐ nǎlǐ).

Do people really say 你好吗 (how are you)?

It is a correct phrase and many textbooks teach it, but several teaching sources point out that native speakers rarely use it and prefer 你好 or 最近怎么样. Usage varies by region.

What does 加油 (jiāyóu) mean?

Literally "add oil" (or fuel). It is used to cheer someone on, for example at sports events: "come on!", "go for it!".

How do I introduce myself in Chinese?

You can say 你好，我是… (nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì…, "hello, I am…") and close with 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ), "nice to meet you". A more formal courtesy phrase is 请多关照 (qǐng duō guānzhào).

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