5 Simple Ways to Greet in Chinese Welcome to the world of meet and greet session in Chinese. Whether you are meeting for the first time or meeting your loved ones, greet is a must. Here are five quick ways to greet in Chinese where you can Learn Chinese easily.
1. The informal tone
nǐ hǎo- it means Hello. This is the basic greeting said when you meet any one irrespective of who they are. Even when you Learn Chinese, this is the phrase which is introduced to you. zuì jìn hào mǎ- it means ‘How are you these days?’ This is often used, when you meet someone after couple of days.
hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn– Meaning ‘long time no see’. This way of greeting is particularly found between close friends.
dâga-haó in Shanghainese or nǐmén hǎo is to greet a mass. This can also be used when you meet more than one person or in a group.
zuìjìn guò dé zěnyàng ya? It refers to ‘How has been life recently?’ When you meet your long lost friend after days, this expression is apt to say then.
2. The day long greet
zǎo –Morning- Essentially used for morning greetings. This greeting is good to say until it becomes evening. The full form of zǎo is ‘zǎo shang hǎo’ which means Good morning.
péngyǒu xiàwǔ hǎo- Good afternoon my friend. An expression used flawlessly during the afternoon time. When you meet your friends for an afternoon lunch or to converse over in the noon. The Chinese learning center will let you know the significance of it.
wǎnshàng hǎo Good evening. A perfect way to wish someone you meet in the evening. The evenings of China are grand. A greet such as this enhances the mood altogether.
3. The formal wayThese greetings are used during meetings or with someone who has been just an acquaintance or simply being formal. nín hǎo- This is the formal way of greeting to higher officials, bosses, neighbours etc. wéi – It is the formal way of greeting over the phone. jīnglǐ nín hǎo – When you greet someone elderly, this way of greeting of saying ‘hello’ is used.
4. The how are you style
Al though we greet everybody with a ‘hello’ the main purpose is to ask ‘how are you’ Nín shēn tǐ hǎo ma - it essentially means ‘are you in good health?’ Zěnme yàng? - this means ‘how have you been lately?’
5. General greetingsThese are the general type of greetings pertaining to whereabouts and likings.
qù nǎ er – Where are you going? Hsinnienkwàilo - Happy New Year- used for Chinese new year time
Huítów jien- see you soon
Wǎn-an- Good night
Synopsis Chinese is a difficult language to learn undoubtedly. However, if Chinese learning center is apt there is no looking back. Happy Mandarin is one such learning center making the process of learning fun and interesting. With the mentioned greetings you can always start the conversation with the natives or your Chinese friends. Zhídào wǒmen zàicì jiànmiàn friends! Meaning until we meet again!
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