How to Say Hello in Chinese: 15 Greetings Beyond Nǐ Hǎo

Q: How do you say hello in Chinese?

The most common way to say hello in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo). For respectful situations use 您好 (nín hǎo), and for groups use 大家好 (dàjiā hǎo, hello everyone). Native speakers also greet by time of day — 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo, good morning), 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo, good evening) — and answer the phone with 喂 (wéi).

Q: How do you pronounce nǐ hǎo?

你好 is written nǐ hǎo (two third tones), but because of the third-tone sandhi rule it is actually pronounced ní hǎo — the first syllable rises like a question, the second dips and rises. The 'x'-free pronunciation is roughly 'nee how' with those two tone contours.

Q: How do you say hello in Chinese on the phone?

On the phone, Chinese speakers say 喂 (wéi) — a special hello used only for answering calls. It is usually followed by 你好 or the speaker identifying themselves, for example 喂，你好 (wéi, nǐ hǎo). Saying 喂 face-to-face would sound odd; it belongs to phone calls only.

Q: Do Chinese people really say 'Have you eaten?' as a greeting?

Yes. 吃了吗？(chī le ma?, 'Have you eaten?') is a classic friendly greeting, especially among older generations and neighbors. It is not a literal invitation to a meal — it simply shows warmth, like 'How's it going?'. The standard reply is 吃了 (chī le, 'I've eaten'), even if you haven't.

Q: What is the formal way to say hello in Chinese?

Use 您好 (nín hǎo), which replaces 你 (nǐ, you) with the respectful 您 (nín). It is the standard greeting for elders, teachers, customers, and business contacts. When meeting someone important for the first time you can also say 幸会 (xìng huì, 'pleased to meet you') or 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ, 'nice to meet you').

Q: How do you say 'long time no see' in Chinese?

好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bú jiàn) means 'long time no see' and is the natural greeting for someone you haven't met in a while. The English phrase 'long time no see' is widely believed to be a word-for-word borrowing of this Chinese expression.

Q: Do Chinese speakers say nǐ hǎo ma (how are you)?

你好吗？(nǐ hǎo ma?, 'how are you?') is grammatically correct and every textbook teaches it, but native speakers rarely use it with each other. More natural alternatives are 最近怎么样？(zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?, 'how have you been lately?') or 吃了吗？(chī le ma?, 'have you eaten?').

Quick answer: Hello in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo) — pronounced ní hǎo because of the third-tone change rule. It works everywhere, but native speakers rarely stop there: they say 您好 (nín hǎo) to show respect, 喂 (wéi) on the phone, 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo) in the morning, and friendly questions like 吃了吗？ (chī le ma?, “have you eaten?”). Here are 15 greetings that make you sound natural.

The Standard Greeting: 你好 (nǐ hǎo)

你好 combines 你 (nǐ, you) and 好 (hǎo, good) — literally “you good.” It is polite, neutral, and safe in any situation, which is exactly why textbooks teach it first. One pronunciation detail most beginners miss: when two third tones meet, the first becomes a rising second tone, so 你好 is actually spoken ní hǎo, not nǐ hǎo. (See our Tone Rules & Sandhi guide for why.)

The flip side: because 你好 is the “official” greeting, using it with close friends can feel a little stiff — like greeting your best friend with a handshake. The 15 greetings below are what Chinese speakers actually use with each other.

15 Ways to Say Hello Beyond Nǐ Hǎo

#	Chinese	Pinyin	English	Usage
1	您好	nín hǎo	Hello (respectful)	Elders, teachers, customers, business
2	大家好	dàjiā hǎo	Hello, everyone	Greeting a group; starting a talk
3	你们好	nǐmen hǎo	Hello (to several people)	Two or more people, informal
4	早上好	zǎoshang hǎo	Good morning	Mornings, slightly formal
5	早	zǎo	Morning!	Casual morning hello to anyone you know
6	下午好	xiàwǔ hǎo	Good afternoon	Afternoons, announcements, service staff
7	晚上好	wǎnshang hǎo	Good evening	Evenings, hosts, restaurants
8	喂	wéi	Hello? (phone)	Answering the phone — phone only
9	嗨	hāi	Hi	Casual, young people, friends
10	哈喽	hālóu	Hello (loanword)	Playful, casual, online chat
11	最近怎么样？	zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?	How have you been?	Natural “how are you” between friends
12	吃了吗？	chī le ma?	Have you eaten?	Classic warm greeting; reply 吃了 (chī le)
13	好久不见	hǎojiǔ bú jiàn	Long time no see	Reuniting after a while
14	很高兴认识你	hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ	Nice to meet you	First introductions
15	幸会	xìng huì	Pleased to meet you	Formal first meetings, business

Greetings by Time of Day

Like English, Chinese has morning/afternoon/evening greetings, but with one twist: the single-syllable 早 (zǎo) is by far the most common morning hello — quick, friendly, and fine with colleagues, classmates, and neighbors alike. 早上好 sounds a touch more formal; you will hear it from TV hosts and in hotels. 下午好 and 晚上好 follow the same pattern. There is no everyday “good night” hello — 晚安 (wǎn'ān) is only for saying goodbye at bedtime.

The Phone-Only Hello: 喂 (wéi)

Chinese has a dedicated word for answering the phone: 喂 (wéi). A typical call starts 喂，你好 (wéi, nǐ hǎo) — “Hello? Hi.” Although dictionaries list 喂 with a falling fourth tone (wèi, which is also a shout to get attention), on the phone it is softened to a rising wéi so it doesn't sound rude. Don't greet people with 喂 in person.

“Have You Eaten?” — the Friendliest Hello

吃了吗？ (chī le ma?) literally asks “Have you eaten?” but works like “How's it going?”. It grew out of a culture where asking about someone's meal showed genuine care, and it remains common between neighbors, coworkers, and older speakers. Nobody expects a dinner report — just answer 吃了 (chī le, “I've eaten”) or 还没呢 (hái méi ne, “not yet”) and continue the conversation.

The 你好吗 Trap

Every beginner learns 你好吗？ (nǐ hǎo ma?, “how are you?”) — and then discovers native speakers almost never say it to each other. It isn't wrong, just textbook-flavored. To ask how someone is doing, Chinese speakers prefer 最近怎么样？ (zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?, “how have you been lately?”) or 最近好吗？ (zuìjìn hǎo ma?), or simply jump straight into conversation after 你好.

Usage tip: Default to 你好 with strangers, switch to 您好 for anyone you'd address respectfully, use 早 / 早上好 in the morning, and greet friends with 嗨, 最近怎么样？ or 吃了吗？ — that mix covers nearly every real-life situation.

Hear every syllable above pronounced with correct tones in the Interactive Pinyin Chart, train your ear with the Tone Trainer Quiz, and practice full sentences in our Chinese Translation tool.

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