Ni hao (你好): Hello in Chinese

你好

nǐ hǎo

Hello

Character breakdown

你

you

nǐ

好

good

hǎo

Grammar and structure

你好 is a fixed greeting: 你 (you) + 好 (good). It literally means "you good" and functions as a complete greeting.

Variations and politeness

您好

nín hǎo

Hello (polite) — More polite, used with elders or superiors.

嗨

hāi

Hi — More casual and informal.

Mini dialogue

你好！最近怎么样？

nǐ hǎo! zuìjìn zěnme yàng?

Hello! How have you been lately?

你好！我很好，谢谢！

nǐ hǎo! wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè!

Hello! I'm doing well, thank you!

When to use it

Appropriate

When greeting someone for the first time.
In any situation where you want to be polite.
When you want a safe, neutral greeting.

Avoid when

When greeting close friends in a very casual setting; 嗨 (hāi) is more natural.
When you have already greeted someone earlier in the same day; repeating 你好 can sound distant.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say hello in Chinese?

You say 你好 (nǐ hǎo). It is the standard greeting and works in almost any situation.

How do you pronounce 你好?

It is pronounced nǐ hǎo. The first syllable has a falling-rising tone, and the second has a falling-rising tone as well.

When do you use 你好?

Use 你好 when greeting someone, especially if you are not close friends. It is polite and appropriate for strangers, acquaintances, and in formal settings.