你叫什么名字？
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
What's your name?
How to say "nice to meet you" in Chinese
很高兴认识你。
hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ
Nice to meet you
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
The phrase breaks down as: 很 (hěn) "very," 高兴 (gāoxìng) "happy/glad," 认识 (rènshi) "to meet/know," 你 (nǐ) "you." It literally means "very glad to know you."
Variations and politeness
很高兴见到你
hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ
Nice to see you. — More casual, used when meeting someone you already know.
我很高兴认识您
wǒ hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín
I am very glad to meet you. — More polite, using the formal 'you' (您).
Mini dialogue
A
你好，我是李明。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì Lǐ Míng.
Hello, I am Li Ming.
B
很高兴认识你。
Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Nice to meet you.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you are introduced to someone for the first time.
- In both formal and casual situations, as a standard polite phrase.
- When you want to express pleasure at making a new acquaintance.
Avoid when
- When you meet someone you already know; use a greeting like 'hello' instead.
- When you are saying goodbye; this phrase is for initial meetings only.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'Nice to meet you' in Chinese?
You say 'hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ' (很高兴认识你).
How do you pronounce 'hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ'?
It's pronounced as: hěn (falling-rising tone), gāo (high tone), xìng (falling tone), rèn (falling tone), shi (neutral tone), nǐ (falling-rising tone).
When do you use 'hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ'?
Use it when you meet someone for the first time, in both formal and casual contexts. It's a polite way to express that you are happy to know them.
More phrases for this situation
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