您好
nín hǎo
Hello (polite)
How to say "Hello" in Chinese
你好
nǐ hǎo
Hello
Grammar and structure
你好 is a fixed greeting: 你 (you) + 好 (good). It literally means "you good" and functions as a complete greeting.
When to use it
Use 你好 when greeting anyone, from strangers to friends. It is safe in all contexts. English speakers might overuse it; in casual settings, a simple 嗨 (hāi) is common among friends.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “Hello” in Chinese?
“Hello” in Chinese is 你好 (nǐ hǎo).
How do you pronounce 你好?
你好 is pronounced nǐ hǎo.
More phrases for this situation
Tomyo
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