您好
nín hǎo
Hello (polite)
How to ask "How are you?" in Chinese
你好吗？
nǐ hǎo ma?
How are you?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
你好吗 is 你 (you) + 好 (good) + 吗 (question particle). It literally asks "Are you good?"
Variations and politeness
你怎么样？
nǐ zěnme yàng?
How are you? — More casual and colloquial.
最近怎么样？
zuìjìn zěnme yàng?
How have you been lately? — More formal and asks about a longer period.
Mini dialogue
A
你好吗？
nǐ hǎo ma?
How are you?
B
我很好，谢谢！你呢？
wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè! nǐ ne?
I'm fine, thank you! And you?
When to use it
Appropriate
- When greeting someone you haven't seen for a while.
- When you want to show polite concern for someone's well-being.
Avoid when
- When you are just saying 'hello' in passing; Chinese speakers often skip it and go straight to the topic.
- When you expect a detailed answer about health or life; a simple 'I'm fine' is the usual response.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'How are you?' in Chinese?
You say 'nǐ hǎo ma?' (你好吗). It literally means 'Are you good?'
How do you pronounce 'nǐ hǎo ma'?
It is pronounced 'nee how mah', with the third tone on 'nǐ' and 'hǎo', and neutral tone on 'ma'.
When do you use 'nǐ hǎo ma'?
Use it as a polite greeting, but note it is less common than in English. Chinese speakers often skip it and go straight to the topic.
More phrases for this situation
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