Quick answer
“Goodbye” in Chinese is 再见 (zàijiàn)
How to Say “Goodbye” in Chinese
“Goodbye” in Chinese is 再见 (zàijiàn). Use 再见 as your everyday, all-purpose farewell; for casual goodbyes with friends, say 拜拜 (bāibāi) or 回头见 (huítóu jiàn), and when you are the host seeing a guest off, use 慢走 (màn zǒu).
Common phrases
说再见跟…说再见明天见挥挥手说再见
How to use it
- 再见 (zàijiàn) is the all-purpose goodbye: safe in formal and casual contexts, spoken or written. It literally means 'see you again'.
- 拜拜 (bāibāi) comes from English 'bye-bye' and is very common among friends, in texting, and in casual phone calls. Avoid it in business or with superiors.
- 回头见 (huítóu jiàn) means 'see you later' and works when you expect to meet again soon, even later the same day.
- 慢走 (màn zǒu) is said by the person staying to the person leaving — typically host to guest. Don't say it if you are the one leaving.
- In Mainland China, ending a phone call often uses 拜拜 (bāibāi) or 下次再聊 (xià cì zài liáo, 'talk next time').
Example sentences
再见，明天见。
zàijiàn, míngtiān jiàn.
Goodbye, see you tomorrow.
再见 is standard and works in any register; 明天见 (míngtiān jiàn) adds a specific time.
我先走了，拜拜！
wǒ xiān zǒu le, bāibāi!
I'm heading out, bye!
拜拜 is the casual 'bye-bye' — great with friends and in text messages, but skip it in formal settings.
回头见！
huítóu jiàn!
See you later!
Say 回头见 when you expect to meet again soon, like later the same day.
谢谢您的礼物，慢走。
xièxie nín de lǐwù, màn zǒu.
Thank you for the gift, take care.
慢走 is said by the person staying to the person leaving — literally 'walk slowly'.
再见，感谢您的光临。
zàijiàn, gǎnxiè nín de guānglín.
Goodbye, thank you for coming.
A polished, formal way to end an event or visit; 光临 (guānglín) honors the guest.
Common mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 再见 |
再见 | In English you say 'goodbye to you', but 再见 is a complete fixed phrase that already means 'see you again'. Adding 你 after it sounds like 'again see you'. If you want to address someone, put their name after the comma: 再见，小明 (Zàijiàn, Xiǎomíng). |
| 我应该说再见 |
我应该跟他说再见 | Chinese uses 跟…说再见 (gēn... shuō zàijiàn) for 'say goodbye to someone'. The English preposition 'to' is not 给 here; 跟 (with) is the natural particle with 说再见. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 再见， |
再见，慢走 | 'Have a nice day' is a common English farewell, but saying it literally in Chinese sounds translated. When seeing a guest off, a natural phrase is 慢走 (màn zǒu), meaning 'take care'. |
FAQ
- How do you say goodbye in Chinese?The most common way is 再见 (zàijiàn). It literally means 'see you again' and works in almost all situations. In casual speech, you'll also hear 拜拜 (bāibāi, 'bye-bye').
- Is it okay to say 拜拜 (bāibāi) to a teacher or boss?It's better to use 再见 (zàijiàn) with teachers, bosses, or people you're not close to. 拜拜 is friendly and casual, used with friends, classmates, and in texts.
- What does 慢走 (màn zǒu) mean?慢走 literally means 'walk slowly', but it's a polite farewell said by the host to the guest as they leave, like 'take care'. If you're the one leaving, you wouldn't say it — you'd say 再见 or 回头见.
- Can 再见 be used when you may never see the person again?Yes, 再见 is fine in most goodbyes, even if you don't know when you'll meet again. For a formal or literary feel, you can say 后会有期 (hòu huì yǒu qī), meaning 'we'll meet again someday'.