Quick answer
“Hello” in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo)
How to Say “Hello” in Chinese
“Hello” in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo), the go-to greeting for almost any situation in mainland China. Use it with friends, colleagues, or strangers; switch to 您好 (nín hǎo) for extra respect, and go casual with 嗨 (hāi) or 哈喽 (hālóu) in texts.
Common phrases
说你好回一声你好跟别人打招呼向长辈问好
How to use it
- 你好 is neutral and universal. You can use it at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m., with friends or strangers, and the usual reply is simply 你好.
- 您好 (nín hǎo) adds respect by using 您, the polite form of “you”. Use it with elderly people, bosses, teachers, and customers; with close friends it sounds oddly formal.
- 嗨 (hāi) and 哈喽 (hālóu) are borrowed from English and are common in casual texting and speech. 嗨 is more common; 哈喽 is more playful. Avoid both in formal or first-impression situations.
- When answering the phone, Chinese speakers usually say 喂 (wèi) rather than 你好.
Example sentences
你好，我叫李明。
nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng.
Hello, my name is Li Ming.
A perfectly neutral greeting for meeting someone for the first time.
您好，请问王经理在吗？
nín hǎo, qǐngwèn Wáng jīnglǐ zài ma?
Hello, is Manager Wang there?
Uses 您 (nín), the polite form of “you”. Ideal for bosses, elders, and customers.
嗨，好久不见！
hāi, hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn!
Hey, long time no see!
Casual “hi”, common in texting and with close friends.
哈喽，你最近怎么样？
hālóu, nǐ zuìjìn zěnme yàng?
Hey, how have you been lately?
A playful English loanword, mostly used by young people in informal chats.
Common mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 你好，我叫李明。 | The Chinese greeting is 你好, literally “you good”. Putting the adjective first gives 好你 (“good you”), which is not a real Chinese phrase. |
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 |
你好！很高兴认识你。 | 你好吗？ literally asks “Are you well?”. It is a real question about someone’s condition, not a reflexive conversation opener like English “How are you?”. When meeting someone, 你好 works alone. |
| 嗨，哥们儿！ | 您好 is polite and distant, so using it with a close friend (“哥们儿”, buddy) sounds stiff. For friends, casual 嗨 or 你好 feels natural. |
FAQ
- How do you say “hello” in Chinese?Say 你好 (nǐ hǎo). It’s the standard greeting in mainland China and works in nearly any situation, from meeting a stranger to greeting a colleague.
- What does 你好 literally mean?It literally combines 你 (“you”) and 好 (“good”), so “you good”. But Chinese speakers just treat it as “hello” and don’t think about the literal meaning.
- Should I say 你好 or 您好?Use 你好 for friends, classmates, and most daily situations. Use 您好 (nín hǎo) with older people, customers, bosses, or in formal service situations, because 您 is the polite form of “you”.
- Can I say “hi” or “hello” in Chinese?Yes — 嗨 (hāi) and 哈喽 (hālóu) are common casual greetings borrowed from English, especially in texting among young people. Just don’t use them in formal settings. On the phone, Chinese speakers usually answer 喂 (wèi).