你好，好高興認識你
nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5
In Cantonese, "hello nice to meet you" is 你好，好高興認識你 (nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5).
This phrase is a polite greeting used when meeting someone for the first time. While 你好 is a standard greeting, adding 好高興認識你 transforms a simple 'hello' into a formal expression of pleasure upon meeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase can be broken down into two main parts: 好高興 (hou2 gou1 hing3), which literally means "very happy," and 認識你 (jing6 sik1 nei5), which literally means "to know you" or "to be acquainted with you."
Which one should you use?
In casual speech, the two-syllable verb 認識 (jing6 sik1) is often shortened to the single syllable 識 (sik1), resulting in 好高興識你.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be formal and show great honor and respect, you can use 認識你真是一件榮幸. For a casual greeting similar to "hi" in English, you can simply use 嗨.
How do you pronounce it?
nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5
Did you know?
- While 你好 is the standard greeting, people in Hong Kong and Guangzhou often replace it with the question 你食咗飯未? which means 'Have you eaten yet?'
- In Cantonese, the word 識 (sik1) used in the phrase for 'meeting someone' is the same word used to describe mastering a skill or a language.
- To make the formal greeting sound less like a textbook and more natural, speakers often attach sentence-final particles such as 喇 (laa3) or 呀 (aa3).
Examples in context
- 你好，好高興認識你。nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5.Hello, nice to meet you.
- 你好，好高興認識你，我係陳小姐。nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5, ngo5 hai6 can4 siu2 gaai2.Hello, nice to meet you, I am Ms. Chan.
Example conversation
Two people are introduced by a mutual friend at a party.
- 志強 Chi Keung你好，好高興認識你，我係志強。nei5 hou2, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5, ngo5 hai6 zi3 keung4.Hello, nice to meet you, I am Chi Keung.
- 美玲 Mei Ling你好，我係美玲，好高興認識你。nei5 hou2, ngo5 hai6 mei5 ling4, hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5.Hello, I am Mei Ling, nice to meet you.
- 志強 Chi Keung你係邊個城市嚟嘅？nei5 hai6 bin1 go3 sing4 si5 lei4 ge3?Which city are you from?
- 美玲 Mei Ling我喺香港住。ngo5 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 zyu6.I live in Hong Kong.
