您好
nín hǎo
Hello (polite)
How to say "goodbye" in Chinese
再见
zàijiàn
Goodbye
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
再见 (zàijiàn) is a fixed expression meaning "goodbye." It is composed of 再 (zài) meaning "again" and 见 (jiàn) meaning "to see," so it literally means "see again."
Variations and politeness
拜拜
bàibài
Bye-bye — More casual and colloquial, borrowed from English.
再见了
zàijiàn le
Goodbye then — Slightly more polite with the particle 了 (le).
Mini dialogue
A
明天见！
Míngtiān jiàn!
See you tomorrow!
B
再见！
Zàijiàn!
Goodbye!
When to use it
Appropriate
- When parting from someone in person, regardless of formality.
- When ending a phone call or video call.
- When you want to express a hope to meet again, even if not soon.
Avoid when
- When you want to sound very casual with close friends; use 拜拜 (bàibài) instead.
- When you are saying goodbye for a very long time or forever; 再见 implies meeting again, so it may not fit.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say goodbye in Chinese?
The most common way is 再见 (zàijiàn), which literally means "see again."
How do you pronounce 再见?
It is pronounced "zàijiàn" with a falling tone on both syllables.
When do you use 再见?
You can use 再见 in almost any situation when parting, whether formal or informal, in person or on the phone.
More phrases for this situation
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