你好 (nǐ hǎo) is the first word almost everyone learns — and it is only the beginning. Real greetings change with the time of day, how well you know the person, and how formal the situation is. This guide covers the greetings Chinese speakers actually use, from the polite 您好 to the casual 嗨, and — just as important — how to reply so the conversation keeps moving.
The basics
- 你好 (nǐ hǎo) — hello.
- 您好 (nín hǎo) — polite hello for strangers or elders.
- 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo) — good morning.
- 下午好 (xiàwǔ hǎo) — good afternoon.
- 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo) — good evening.
- 嗨 (hāi) — hi, the casual greeting for friends.
How are you? (and the natural reply)
你怎么样？(nǐ zěnme yàng?) is a natural way to ask how someone is doing. The simplest reply is 我很好，你呢？(wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?) — I'm good, and you? Textbook 'how are you' phrases like 你好吗 exist, but native speakers use them less than learners expect — it can sound a little stiff outside a classroom.
- 我很好，你呢？(wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?) — I'm good, and you?
- 还不错。(hái búcuò) — not bad.
- 还可以。(hái kěyǐ) — so-so, okay.
- 老样子。(lǎo yàngzi) — same as always.
Meeting someone again
- 好久不见 (hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn) — long time no see.
- 最近怎么样？(zuìjìn zěnme yàng?) — how have you been lately?
- 最近忙吗？(zuìjìn máng ma?) — been busy lately?
- 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) — nice to meet you.
- 见到你很高兴 (jiàndào nǐ hěn gāoxìng) — I'm glad to see you.
Greetings for leaving
- 再见 (zàijiàn) — goodbye.
- 明天见 (míngtiān jiàn) — see you tomorrow.
- 下次见 (xià cì jiàn) — see you next time.
- 拜拜 (bāibāi) — bye-bye, casual.
- 慢走 (màn zǒu) — take care, said to someone who is leaving.
Formal or casual? A quick guide
您 (nín) is the polite 'you', used for strangers, older people, and anyone you want to show respect; 你 (nǐ) is for friends and peers. When in doubt in a shop or hotel, 您好 is always safe. Greetings with 好 work at any level of formality, while 嗨 and 拜拜 are strictly casual. Nobody will be offended by a slightly formal greeting — formality is the safer mistake.
Keep the conversation moving
A greeting is a door, and the follow-up question is the room behind it. The pattern is simple: greet, then ask. 你好，最近怎么样？(nǐ hǎo, zuìjìn zěnme yàng? — hi, how have you been?) is a complete, natural opening. Practise greetings as pairs — hello plus a question, goodbye plus an invitation — and they stop feeling like phrasebook lines.
Greetings on the phone
- 喂 (wèi) — hello, the standard way to answer the phone.
- 请问你是？(qǐngwèn nǐ shì?) — may I ask who's calling?
- 是我。(shì wǒ) — it's me.
Greetings with body language
A nod or a small smile does much of the work in Chinese greetings. A light handshake is common in business, while casual greetings between friends might be just 嗨 with a wave. You do not need to bow — that is not a Chinese custom in everyday life. Match the warmth of the other person and your greeting will land naturally.
What if someone greets you first?
The reply is usually the same greeting back, or a simple 你好. If someone says 好久不见, answer 是啊，好久不见 (shì a, hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn, yes, long time no see) — the easiest way to agree is to repeat the phrase back with 是啊 (yes). You do not need new vocabulary to reply; you need the right formula, and formulas are the easiest part to practise.
- 你好！(nǐ hǎo) — hello back, always safe.
- 是啊，好久不见！(shì a, hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn) — yes, long time no see!
- 我很好，你呢？(wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?) — I'm good, and you?
And if you forget everything else, 你好 followed by a smile is never wrong. It is the most-used greeting in the language for a reason — it works in every situation, from a hotel desk to a family dinner.
How to practice greetings
Greetings are the first words you should master because they are the words you will actually say. Practice them in real sentences — not just as flashcards — and they will stop feeling like a phrasebook. Use the right phrase for the time of day when you greet yourself in the morning, reply out loud to the question, and build greeting sentences in HanziQuest's Sentence Builder until they come out without thinking.