chào
[t͡ɕaːw˨˩]
chào is the Vietnamese phrase for hello and goodbye.
chào is a general greeting used for both arriving and leaving. While it can be used as a root for greeting, the compound form chào hỏi acts as a verb meaning to greet or to say hello and goodbye. You may also use specific time-based greetings such as Chào buổi sáng for good morning (used from dawn until noon) or Chào buổi tối for good evening.
How does it change in a sentence?
In practice, chào is rarely used alone. It is almost always followed by a pronoun to indicate the person being addressed, following the pattern chào [pronoun].
Did you know?
- Although it sounds identical to the Italian 'ciao', the Vietnamese chào is not related to it at all and has a completely different origin.
- In many Vietnamese households, the custom of greeting elders involves a slight bow of the head when saying chào.
- Because the pronoun following chào changes based on the relative age and status of the speakers, the greeting reflects a complex social hierarchy.
Examples in context
- Chào bạn!Hello friend!
- Em chào chị.Hello, older sister (to a female).
- Chào cả nhà!Hello everyone!
Example conversation
Chi and Nam pass each other on the street.
- ChiChào Nam!Hello Nam!
- NamChào Chi, bạn khỏe không?Hello Chi, how are you?
- ChiMình khỏe, chào bạn nhé!I am well, goodbye!
- NamChào bạn, hẹn gặp lại!Goodbye, see you again!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry chào, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chào, CC BY-SA 4.0.
