Greetings are the foundation of any language. In Chinese, greetings are not just about saying “hello,” they reflect politeness, respect, and social awareness. As an HSK 1 learner, mastering greetings will immediately make your conversations smoother and more natural.
Whether you’re meeting someone for the first time, entering a Restaurant (餐厅, cān tīng), or greeting a teacher at School (学校, xué xiào), these expressions will help you connect with people confidently.
Basic Chinese Greetings You Must Know
Let’s start with the most common and essential greetings used in daily life.
你好 (nǐ hǎo) – Hello
您好 (nín hǎo) – Hello (polite form)
大家好 (dà jiā hǎo) – Hello everyone
你们好 (nǐ men hǎo) – Hello (to multiple people)
Example sentences:
你好，我是新学生 (nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì xīn xué shēng) – Hello, I am a new student
您好，老师 (nín hǎo, lǎo shī) – Hello, teacher
大家好，我叫大卫 (dà jiā hǎo, wǒ jiào dà wèi) – Hello everyone, my name is David
Time-Based Greetings in Chinese
Chinese people often greet others based on the time of day. These greetings are simple but very natural in daily conversation.
早上好 (zǎo shang hǎo) – Good morning
下午好 (xià wǔ hǎo) – Good afternoon
晚上好 (wǎn shang hǎo) – Good evening
Example sentences:
早上好，你今天好吗 (zǎo shang hǎo, nǐ jīn tiān hǎo ma) – Good morning, how are you today
下午好，我们一起喝咖啡吗 (xià wǔ hǎo, wǒ men yì qǐ hē kā fēi ma) – Good afternoon, shall we drink coffee together
晚上好，你要去哪里 (wǎn shang hǎo, nǐ yào qù nǎ lǐ) – Good evening, where are you going
Casual Greetings Used Among Friends
When speaking with friends or people your age, Chinese greetings can be more relaxed and informal.
你好啊 (nǐ hǎo a) – Hi
嗨 (hāi) – Hi
最近怎么样 (zuì jìn zěn me yàng) – How have you been recently
Example sentences:
嗨，你好吗 (hāi, nǐ hǎo ma) – Hi, how are you
你好啊，好久不见 (nǐ hǎo a, hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn) – Hi, long time no see
最近怎么样，你忙吗 (zuì jìn zěn me yàng, nǐ máng ma) – How have you been, are you busy
Asking “How Are You” in Chinese
Unlike English, Chinese speakers don’t always ask “how are you” as a greeting, but it is still useful and commonly taught at HSK 1 level.
你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) – How are you
你怎么样 (nǐ zěn me yàng) – How are you doing
Example sentences:
你好吗，我很好 (nǐ hǎo ma, wǒ hěn hǎo) – How are you, I am very well
你怎么样，我今天很忙 (nǐ zěn me yàng, wǒ jīn tiān hěn máng) – How are you, I am busy today
Polite Expressions to Use with Greetings
Politeness is very important in Chinese culture. These expressions often appear together with greetings.
谢谢 (xiè xie) – Thank you
不客气 (bú kè qi) – You’re welcome
请 (qǐng) – Please
对不起 (duì bu qǐ) – Sorry
Example sentences:
谢谢你，朋友 (xiè xie nǐ, péng yǒu) – Thank you, my friend
不客气，这是你的书 (bú kè qi, zhè shì nǐ de shū) – You’re welcome, this is your book
对不起，我来晚了 (duì bu qǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le) – Sorry, I am late
Greeting People in Specific Situations
Different situations may require slightly different greetings.
At School (学校, xué xiào):
老师好 (lǎo shī hǎo) – Hello teacher
同学们好 (tóng xué men hǎo) – Hello classmates
Example sentences:
老师好，我来了 (lǎo shī hǎo, wǒ lái le) – Hello teacher, I am here
同学们好，我们开始吧 (tóng xué men hǎo, wǒ men kāi shǐ ba) – Hello classmates, let’s begin
At a Workplace (公司, gōng sī):
你好，经理 (nǐ hǎo, jīng lǐ) – Hello manager
大家好，今天很忙 (dà jiā hǎo, jīn tiān hěn máng) – Hello everyone, today is busy
Saying Goodbye in Chinese
Ending a conversation politely is just as important as starting one.
再见 (zài jiàn) – Goodbye
明天见 (míng tiān jiàn) – See you tomorrow
一会儿见 (yí huì er jiàn) – See you later
Example sentences:
再见，朋友 (zài jiàn, péng yǒu) – Goodbye, my friend
明天见，我们一起学习 (míng tiān jiàn, wǒ men yì qǐ xué xí) – See you tomorrow, let’s study together
一会儿见，我现在很忙 (yí huì er jiàn, wǒ xiàn zài hěn máng) – See you later, I am busy now
Combining Greetings into Natural Conversations
To sound more natural, you can combine greetings with simple sentences.
你好，你好吗 (nǐ hǎo, nǐ hǎo ma) – Hello, how are you
早上好，我是新老师 (zǎo shang hǎo, wǒ shì xīn lǎo shī) – Good morning, I am a new teacher
嗨，好久不见，你最近怎么样 (hāi, hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn, nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng) – Hi, long time no see, how have you been
New Words from This Blog Post
您好 (nín hǎo) – polite hello
大家 (dà jiā) – everyone
早上 (zǎo shang) – morning
下午 (xià wǔ) – afternoon
晚上 (wǎn shang) – evening
最近 (zuì jìn) – recently
怎么样 (zěn me yàng) – how (situation)
请 (qǐng) – please
对不起 (duì bu qǐ) – sorry
再见 (zài jiàn) – goodbye
同学 (tóng xué) – classmate
公司 (gōng sī) – company
经理 (jīng lǐ) – manager
开始 (kāi shǐ) – start
朋友 (péng yǒu) – friend
