你好
nǐ hǎo/ni²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
In Chinese, hello is expressed as 你好 (nǐ hǎo). 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 |
You may also use the loanword 嗨 to say 'hi' in casual settings, or the spoken greeting 哈啰 which is similar to 'hello' or 'hey'. In specific online subcultures, the slang term ciallo is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 你好 literally means 'you good'.
Which one should you use?
If you are addressing a group of people, use the plural form 你们好. For a more polite version used to show higher respect to elders or superiors, use 您好.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
您好 is a polite form used when addressing elders or superiors. For informal settings, you can use the loanword 嗨 or the casual 哈啰. ciallo is informal internet slang.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan, you can use ни хо, сэляму or хома. In Hokkien, the greeting is 汝好.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say hello to a group of people, use 你们好 instead of the singular 你好.
How do you pronounce it?
nǐ hǎo: /ni²¹⁴⁻³⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
Did you know?
- In some Chinese-speaking regions, it is common to greet someone by asking if they have eaten, using the phrase 吃了吗 instead of a standard 'hello'.
- The Dungan version of hello ни хо is a fascinating linguistic hybrid where Chinese words are written using the Cyrillic alphabet.
- The polite form 您好 contains a character 您 that is essentially the character for 'you' 你 with the character for 'heart' 心 added to the bottom.
Examples in context
- 你好，汤姆。Hello, Tom.This example shows how to use 你好 to greet Tom.Tatoeba #5092241 by mirrorvan, translation #54604 by Zifre
- 你好！林峰。Hello! Linfeng.This example shows how to use 你好 to greet Linfeng.Tatoeba #6149244 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276580 by Kiwi
- 你好！明惠。Hello! Minghui.This example shows how to use 你好 to greet Minghui.Tatoeba #6149245 by xjjAstrus, translation #6276550 by Kiwi
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students meet in the school hallway.
- 雨婷 Yuting你好，浩然！Nǐ hǎo, Hàorán!Hello, Haoran!
- 浩然 Haoran你好，雨婷！Nǐ hǎo, Yǔtíng!Hello, Yuting!
- 雨婷 Yuting你去教室吗？Nǐ qù jiàoshì ma?Are you going to the classroom?
- 浩然 Haoran是的，一起走吧。Shì de, yīqǐ zǒu ba.Yes, let's go together.
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.
