In Chinese world, when two people meet for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting. However, for some people who are a bit shy, they might just smile at you first. If you stretch out your hand for a handshake, then they will do the same. For handshakes in China. People usually shake and hold the hands for a longer time than most Americans are used to. So, prepare to have a firm and a bit longer handshake to show your excitement and politeness of meeting someone for the first time. Taking a slight bow to show respect is also frequently used when you are meeting a person that is older than you or with a high position than you do. Also, don’t forget about the most important and most effective one — smile friendly, no giggling or chuckles but serene smiles. Imagine the times that you were taking the school photo, yes, that kind of smile will do:)
If after you met the person for a while, and you had good time of chatting, you can show your affection for the person by patting gently on the shoulder before saying goodbye. Fondness for little children can be shown by patting slightly on the shoulder or cheek. However, don’t ever pat people’s head, especially adults’. Chinese people think head is a sacred part of body, and should not be randomly touched — especially the top of the head.
1. General greetings for any time of the day.
When a Chinese person meets someone they already know or they never met before, they usually will the followings.
How to say the greetings and how to answer them:
How are you?
Person A:
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to12.mp3|titles=listen to]
Nǐ hǎo 你好。(Nǐ means you; hǎo means good or well)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to13.mp3|titles=listen to]Nǐ hǎo mā 你好吗？ (mā is a question particle. When you add mā to a statement sentence, then the statement becomes a question right away.)
Person B:
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to14.mp3|titles=listen to]
I am very good.
Wǒ hěn hǎo. 我很好。(Wǒ means I; hěn means very; hǎo means good or well)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to8.mp3|titles=Listen to]I am not bad.
Wǒ hái bú cuò. 我还不错。(Wǒ means I; hái means still; bú is a negate word which means not; cuò means bad or wrong)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to9.mp3|titles=Listen to]
I am OK.
Wǒ hái xíng. 我还行。(Wǒ means I; hái means still; xíng means OK or all right)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to10.mp3|titles=Listen to]
Wǒ bù hǎo. 我不好。(Wǒ means I; bù means not; hǎo means good)
However, greeting is just a greeting. Normally we don’t reply with Wǒ bù hǎo. 我不好。Unless the person who we are talking to is someone we know so well. Bù is a Chinese negate word. For example, hǎo is good, and bù hǎo is not good.
Some other ways to say when you meet other people.
Person A.Have you eaten? (Chinese people think eating meals are very important in daily life. There is a Chinese proverb says 民以食为天 mín yǐ shí wéi tián: Literally it means — People regard eating as heaven; it equals to — Bread is the staff of life. Therefore, when they saw a friend or someone they know, they would use this kind of greeting. Please don’t use this to greet someone you never met before.)
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to11.mp3|titles=Listen to]Nǐ chī le mā? 你吃了吗？ ( Nǐ means you; chī means eat; le is a particle to show the action have completed; mā is the question marker to change a statement to a question sentence.)
Person B.
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to12.mp3|titles=Listen to]
I ate.
Wǒ chī le. 我吃了。( Wǒ means I; chī means eat; le is a particle, to show the action has occurred and completed)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to13.mp3|titles=Listen to]
I Haven’t eaten yet.
Wǒ hái méi chī. 我还没吃。( Wǒ means I; hái means still; méi means not yet; chī means eat)
Person A.
How’s going?
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to14.mp3|titles=Listen to]zěnme yàng? 怎么样？
This is a casual greeting to someone you know. It is like — How’s going or What’s up? — in English. I remember the first time I heard “What’s up?” I thought it was a question with “sky” is the answer.
When people ask “Nǐ hǎo mā 你好吗？” We usually answer with “很好”,”还好”,”好”. While, when people ask “你怎么样？” It usually tells that that person and you are relatives or friends, and that person wants to know how’s everything going or did anything changed in your life. You can reply with some specific answers, like “I bought a new house”,”I was hospitalized” or “I quit the job.” etc.. But, if you don’t want to tell much, you can answer with:
Person B
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to15.mp3|titles=Listen to]
Not bad.
Bú cuò. 不错。(Bú is a negate word; cuò means bad or wrong)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to16.mp3|titles=Listen to]
OK
Hái xīng. 还行。( Hái means still; xīng means OK)
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to10.mp3|titles=listen to]
háishì lǎo yàngzi （hái means still; shì means is; lǎo means old; yàngzi means condition or shape)
还是老样子
or
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to11.mp3|titles=listen to]
bù zěnme yàng 不怎么样 （ bù means not; zěnme yàng hints up too much. It means nothing good to be said about it; means things so so, there is no much to say.)
If you haven’t seen a person for a long time, then you can say:
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to17.mp3|titles=Listen to]
Long time no see. How are you?
Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn. Nǐ hǎo mā? 好久不见。 你好吗？ (Hǎo means Very, really; jiǔ means long; bú means not; jiàn means see. Nǐ means you; hǎo means good; mā means it is a question)
In English, when people ask you “How are you?” You normally will say ” I am good, thank you.” Yes, politeness is universal acceptable. So, it is good to add
Thank you
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to18.mp3|titles=Listen to]
Xiè xie 谢谢
to the end of your answer to the greeting.
As
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Listen-to19.mp3|titles=Listen to]
I am very good. Thanks.
Wǒ hěn hǎo, Xiè xie. 我很好。谢谢。 (Wǒ mean I; hěn means very; hǎo means good. Xiè xie means thanks)
2. Greetings for specific time of the day.
There are a few greetings you can use if you meet a person in the morning.
Good morning.
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to.mp3|titles=listen to]Zǎo ān 早安 （Zǎo means morning or early; ān means safe or well）
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to1.mp3|titles=listen to]Nǐ Zǎo 你早 （Nǐ means you; Zǎo means early）
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to2.mp3|titles=listen to]Zǎoshàng hǎo 早上好 （Zǎoshàng means morning; hǎo means good or well）
Good afternoon.
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to3.mp3|titles=listen to]
Wǔ ān 午安 （Wǔ means afternoon, ān means well, good or safe）
xiàwǔ hǎo 下午好 （xiàwǔ means afternoon, hǎo means good, well）
In the night.
If you meet a person in the night, you can say
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to5.mp3|titles=listen to]
Wǎnshàng hǎo 晚上好 （Wǎnshàng means night, hǎo means good or well）
If you want to say goodnight to someone before you go to sleep, then you will say
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to6.mp3|titles=listen to]
Wǎnān 晚安 （Wǎn means night, ān means good or well）
3. Whom you address the greetings to:
If only one person, you use nǐ 你（ nǐ means you）
If you address your greeting to a group of people, then you use dàjiā 大家（ dàjiā means everyone）. For example:
You meet only one person, you say
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to7.mp3|titles=listen to]nǐ hǎo 你好 (Literally you good, generally it means how are you?)
You meet a group of person, and you are greeting them together, you say
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to8.mp3|titles=listen to]
dàjiā hǎo 大家好 (Literally it means everyone good, generally it means how are you? Everyone?)
4. How to say “how about you?” after the person just said the greetings to you?
In English the normal greeting goes like this.
Person A:
How are you?
Person B:
I am fine, thank you and you?
In Chinese, we say
[audio:http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/listen-to9.mp3|titles=listen to]Person A: Nǐ hǎo mā 你好吗？
Person B: Wǒ hěn hǎo. 我很好。Xiè xie 谢谢 nǐ ne? 你呢？ (呢 Ne is placed at the end of a sentence. It is often used as a short cut to avoid repeating the question that has just been asked. It is similar to saying “What about …”, here nǐ ne 你呢 means –What about you? )
Hope you like today’s general greeting post, and wish you make great first impression on those people who you will be meeting later on. Remember, always smile, and look into the person’s eyes. Practice before the bathroom mirror is a good idea ….
All About You – McFly video lyrics
你好嗎 by 宋祖英
7 Responses to Basic Chinese, Common Chinese greetings- How to say ” How are you, good morning, good afternoon, good night” in Mandarin: What the difference between ni hao ma and zen me yang? Proverb min yi shi wei tian, All About You – McFly video lyrics