你好
nǐ hǎo/ni²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
In Chinese, hello is primarily expressed as 你好 (nǐ hǎo). If unsure, use 你好. Wiktionary also lists ни хо (ni ho) and сэляму (seliamu).
Meaning: greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ни хо | ni ho | Dungan | |
| сэляму | seliamu | Dungan | |
| хома | homa | Dungan | |
| 汝好 | lí hó | /nˡy³³ ho³³/ (Min Dong, Fuzhou, Sinological IPA) /li⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ hɤ⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /li⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ho⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /li⁵⁵⁴ ho⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Jinjiang, Philippines, Sinological IPA) /lɯ⁵⁵⁴ ho⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Sinological IPA) /lu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ho⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Taipei, Sinological IPA, Magong) /lɯ⁵²⁻³⁵ ho⁵²/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) /lu⁵²⁻³⁵ ho⁵²⁻²¹/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
| 你好 | nǐ hǎo | /ni²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ni⁵³ xau⁵³/ (Mandarin, Xi'an, Sinological IPA) /ni⁴⁴ xɔ⁴⁴/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) /nei̯¹³ hou̯³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /ŋi¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Northern, Sixian, Miaoli, Sinological IPA) /ni¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Northern, Sixian, Miaoli, Sinological IPA) /n¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Northern, Sixian, Miaoli, Sinological IPA) /ŋi¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Southern, Sixian, Neipu, Sinological IPA) /ŋ̍¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Southern, Sixian, Neipu, Sinological IPA) /n¹¹ ho³¹/ (Hakka, Southern, Sixian, Neipu, Sinological IPA) /ŋi¹¹ hau³¹/ (Hakka, Meixian, Sinological IPA) /n̩¹¹ hau³¹/ (Hakka, Meixian, Sinological IPA) /ni⁴² xau²¹/ (Min Bei, Jian'ou, Sinological IPA) /nˡy³³ ho³³/ (Min Dong, Fuzhou, Sinological IPA) /li⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ hɤ⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /li⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ho⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Sinological IPA) /li⁵⁵⁴ ho⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Jinjiang, Philippines, Sinological IPA) /lɯ⁵⁵⁴ ho⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Sinological IPA) /lu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ho⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Taipei, Sinological IPA, Magong) /lɯ⁵²⁻³⁵ ho⁵²/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) /lu⁵²⁻³⁵ ho⁵²⁻²¹/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 您好 | nín hǎo | /nin³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nei̯¹³ hou̯³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
polite |
| 你們好 /你们好 | nǐmen hǎo | ||
| 好 | hǎo | /xɑʊ̯²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /xau⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) /xau⁵³/ (Mandarin, Xi'an, Sinological IPA) /xɔ¹¹/ (Mandarin, Nanjing, Sinological IPA) /xɔ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Dungan, Sinological IPA) /hou̯³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /hɔu³⁵/ (Cantonese, Dongguan, Sinological IPA, Guancheng) /hau⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Taishanese, Taicheng, Sinological IPA) /hou²¹/ (Cantonese, Sinological IPA, Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng) /hau²¹³/ (Gan, Nanchang, Sinological IPA) /ho³¹/ (Hakka, Sixian, Miaoli, Neipu, Sinological IPA) /ho²⁴/ (Hakka, Hailu, Zhudong, Sinological IPA) /hau³¹/ (Hakka, Meixian, Sinological IPA) /xau⁵³/ (Jin, Taiyuan, Sinological IPA, dated) /xau²¹/ (Min Bei, Jian'ou, Sinological IPA) /ho³³/ (Min Dong, Fuzhou, Sinological IPA) /ho⁴⁵³/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Putian) /ho³³²/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Xianyou) /hɒ⁴⁵³/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Putian) /hɒ³³²/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Xianyou) /hɒ̃³³²/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Xianyou) /ho⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Kinmen, Lukang, Taipei, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong, Hsinchu) /hɤ⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Kinmen, Lukang, Taipei, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong, Hsinchu) /hɤ⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Kinmen, Lukang, Taipei, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong, Hsinchu) /ho⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Kinmen, Lukang, Taipei, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong, Hsinchu) /ho⁵⁵/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Zhangpu, Kinmen, Lukang, Taipei, Yilan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Sanxia, Magong, Hsinchu) /hɔu⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Zhangpu, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou like accent in Taiwan) /hɔ⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Zhangpu, Philippines, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou like accent in Taiwan) /hɔ̃⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Xiamen, Sinological IPA) /hɔ̃⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Xiamen, Sinological IPA) /ho⁵²/ (Teochew, Sinological IPA) /hoʔ²/ (Teochew, Sinological IPA) /hau⁵²/ (Teochew, Sinological IPA) /hɔ³¹/ (Leizhou, Sinological IPA) /hau³¹/ (Leizhou, Sinological IPA) /hau³³/ (Southern Pinghua, Nanning, Southern Pinghua, Tingzi, Sinological IPA) /hɔ³⁴/ (Wu, Northern, Shanghai, Sinological IPA) /hæ⁵¹/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing) /haɯ⁴⁵/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Changzhou) /hɔ³⁵/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing) /hɔ⁴³³/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Jiaxing) /hɔ⁵³/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing) /hɒ³³⁵/ (Wu, Northern, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sinological IPA, Jingjiang, Changzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Shaoxing) /hɔ⁵²/ (Wu, Northern, Ningbo, Sinological IPA) /xɒu̯⁴¹/ (Xiang, Changsha, Sinological IPA) /xɤ⁴²/ (Xiang, Loudi, Sinological IPA) /xɑʊ̯³³/ (Xiang, Sinological IPA, Hengyang) /xɑʊ̯⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /xau⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Xi'an, Sinological IPA) /hou̯³³/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /hɔu³²/ (Cantonese, Dongguan, Sinological IPA, Guancheng) /hau̯⁵⁵/ (Hakka, Sixian, Miaoli, Neipu, Sinological IPA) /hau¹¹/ (Hakka, Hailu, Zhudong, Sinological IPA) /hau⁵³/ (Hakka, Meixian, Sinological IPA) /xau⁴⁵/ (Jin, Taiyuan, Sinological IPA, dated) /hɔ²¹³/ (Min Dong, Fuzhou, Sinological IPA) /hɒ⁴²/ (Puxian Min, Sinological IPA, Putian, Xianyou) /hɔ̃¹¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Sinological IPA, Taipei, General Taiwanese) /hɔ̃⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) /hɔ̃²¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Sinological IPA, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) /hãũ²¹³/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) /hau²¹/ (Min Nan, Leizhou, Sinological IPA) /hau⁵⁵/ (Southern Pinghua, Nanning, Southern Pinghua, Tingzi, Sinological IPA) /xɒu̯⁴⁵/ (Xiang, Changsha, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 嗨 | hāi | /xaɪ̯⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /haːi̯⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /hei̯⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /hɔːi̯⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) /hai²¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Xiamen) /hai⁴¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Quanzhou) /hai²¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Zhangzhou) /hai¹¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Taipei) /hai²¹/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Sinological IPA, Kaohsiung) /hai⁵²/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) /hai³³/ (Min Nan, Teochew, Sinological IPA) /he/ (Wu, Northern, Shanghai, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 哈囉 /哈啰 | hāluó | ||
| ciallo | /t͡ɕʰi̯ä⁵¹ loʊ̯³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) | slang |
The primary way to say hello is 你好, which is an appropriate general greeting. For a very casual greeting similar to the English 'hi', you can use the loanword 嗨. Another casual, phonetic way to say hello in spoken conversation is 哈啰. If you are answering a phone call, it is common to use 喂. For a different kind of encouragement, the phrase 加油 means 'Keep it up'. To initiate a conversation politely, you might use 请问, which means 'May I ask' or 'Excuse me'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 你好 literally means 'you good'.
Which one should you use?
While 你好 is the standard greeting, you should use the polite form 您好 when addressing an elder, a superior or someone you wish to show formal respect to. The form 嗨 is a very casual greeting used among friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
你好 is the standard form for most situations. Use 您好 for a polite and respectful way of saying hello to show deference to elders or people of higher status. For informal settings, 嗨 is a very casual greeting similar to the English 'hi' and 哈啰 is also used as a casual, phonetic way to say 'hello'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Dungan language, you can say ни хо. In Hokkien, the way to say hello is 汝好.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say hello to a group of people, use the plural form 你们好 instead of the singular 你好.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 你好 is nǐ hǎo.
Did you know?
- In mainland China, the most common way to greet someone you know well is not to say 'hello' at all, but to ask 'Have you eaten?' using the phrase 吃了吗.
- The phrase 你好 involves a linguistic phenomenon called tone sandhi, where the first 你 changes from a third tone to a second tone because it is followed by another third tone 好.
- The term ciallo is a modern internet slang greeting used in Chinese ACG (Anime, Comic and Games) culture, derived from a Japanese character's quirky way of saying goodbye or hello.
Examples in context
- 你好，汤姆。Hello, Tom.This sentence shows how to use 你好 to greet Tom.Tatoeba #5092241 by mirrorvan, translation #54604 by Zifre
- 你好！林峰。Hello! Linfeng.This sentence shows how to use 你好 to greet Linfeng.Tatoeba #6149244 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276580 by Kiwi
- 你好！明惠。Hello! Minghui.This sentence shows how to use 你好 to greet Minghui.Tatoeba #6149245 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276550 by Kiwi
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang meets Xiaowen in the hallway.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你好，晓雯。Nǐ hǎo, Xiǎowén.Hello, Xiaowen.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你好，志强。Nǐ hǎo, Zhìqiáng.Hello, Zhiqiang.
- 志强 Zhiqiang今天天气不错。Jīntiān tiānqì bùcuò.The weather is nice today.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen是的，非常舒服。Shì de, fēicháng shūfu.Yes, it is very comfortable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries 汝好, 你好, 您好, 好, 嗨, ciallo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
