The best way to say "hello" in Chinese is "nǐ hǎo" or 你好. Note that the exact romanization and pronunciation of this greeting can vary depending on the Chinese dialect you use. Some dialects have their own way of saying "hello" depending on the circumstances of the greeting. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Mandarin Chinese
Step 1. Use "nǐ hǎo
"The standard way to greet someone in Mandarin Chinese is with this informal" hello ".
- A literal translation of the expression matches something like "you're okay".
- In Chinese characters, the greeting is written 你好.
- This ni haOW pronunciation greeting.
Step 2. You can be more formal by using "nín hǎo
"This greeting has the same meaning as" nǐ hǎo, "but it's a little more formal.
- Although this expression is more formal, it is not as common as "nǐ hǎo."
- In Chinese characters, this expression is written 您好.
- The pronunciation of nín hǎo is ne-in haOW.
Step 3. Greet a group with "nǐmén hǎo
"When you say" hi "to more than one person, you should use this greeting.
- The term "nǐmén" is the plural form of "nǐ," which means "you."
- In Chinese characters, nǐmén hǎo is written 你们 好.
- The pronunciation is ni-mehn haOW.
Step 4. Answer the phone with "wéi
"When you answer the phone or call someone, to say" hi "use" wéi."
- Note that wéi is not usually used to greet someone in person. It is usually only used for telephone conversations.
- In Chinese characters, wéi is written 喂.
- The pronunciation wéi is wehy.
Method 2 of 3: Cantonese Chinese
Step 1. Use "néih hóu
"This expression is almost identical in meaning and pronunciation to" hello "in Mandarin Chinese.
- Even in Chinese characters, the Mandarin and Cantonese versions of "hello" are spelled the same way: 你好.
- However, the romanization of these two greetings is different and there are slight variations in the pronunciation. In Cantonese néih hóu has a sweeter sound than mandarin nǐ hǎo.
- Instead of saying the greeting ni haOW, say it more nih hOHW.
Step 2. Answer the phone with "wái
As in the case of néih hóu, in terms of meaning and pronunciation, this telephone greeting is almost identical to the one in Mandarin.
- As with Mandarin, Chinese characters are written 喂.
- The way to pronounce wái in Cantonese is slightly different. Pronounce it more like wahy than wehy.
Method 3 of 3: Other Dialects
Step 1. To be on the safe side, use "nǐ hǎo"
Although the exact pronunciation varies from region to region and from dialect to dialect, the most common way of saying "hello" is almost always some form of "nǐ hǎo."
- In all dialects, this greeting is written in Chinese characters 你好.
- Note that the romanization of 你好 usually gives you an idea of the pronunciation.
- In Chinese Hakka, for example, the Romanization is ngi ho. The initial nǐ sound is harder, while the hǎo end sounds more like a long Italian "o".
- In Shanghainese, however, the Romanization is "nong hao." While the hǎo part is very similar, the initial sound nǐ is more elongated and ends hard at the end of the syllable.
Step 2. In Chinese Hakka answer the phone with "oi"
Greetings in Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese to say hello over the phone are not good in Hakka Chinese.
- Used in other contexts, oi is an interjection that equates to something close to "oh."
- In Chinese characters, oi is is written 噯.
- The pronunciation is simply oi or ai.
Step 3. Greet a group with "dâka-hô" in Shanghainese
This greeting corresponds to "hello everyone" and can be used to greet multiple people.
- In Chinese characters, this greeting is written 大家 好.
- The pronunciation of this greeting is' dah-kah-haw-oh.
Advice
- Note that the Chinese language is highly dependent on exact intonation and pronunciation. It is recommended that you listen to an audio translation of these greetings and other Chinese expressions to learn how to pronounce them correctly.
- You need to know where to use the various dialects. Mandarin is considered a northern dialect and is usually spoken between the north and southwest of China, and has the highest number of native speakers. Cantonese originated in southern China and is spoken by most Hong Kong and Macau residents. The hakka dialect is spoken by the hakka people in southern China and Taiwan. Shanghai is spoken in the city of Shanghai.
- Note that there are other Chinese dialects besides those listed here. Many of those dialects have their own specific way of saying "hello".
