再见
zàijiàn
The English phrase "see you again" is translated into Chinese as 再见 (zàijiàn).
再见 is the most common and standard way to say "see you again" in Chinese. While the English phrase often implies a specific future meeting, 再见 is used as a general way to say "goodbye" regardless of whether a specific future encounter is planned.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 再 (again) and 见 (to see/meet).
Which one should you use?
While 再见 is the standard goodbye, you may encounter other forms: 再会 is a formal expression meaning "again meet" and 回头见 is a colloquial way to say "see you later" or "see you soon".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 再见, the word 再 functions as an adverb meaning "again" and precedes the verb 见.
How do you pronounce it?
zàijiàn
Did you know?
- The character 见 not only means 'to see' but also 'to meet' and 'to be seen'. In ancient Chinese, it was often used to describe an audience with an emperor.
- While 再见 is the standard, many people in mainland China and Taiwan prefer to use English loanwords or phrases like 'Bye-bye' in very casual settings, making it feel more modern than the formal 再见.
- In Chinese, the word 再 in 再见 does not just mean 'again', but specifically refers to an action that has not yet happened. This differs from the word 又, which is also 'again' but describes something that has already occurred.
Examples in context
- 我们不会再见你了。We won't see you again.This sentence shows the use of 再见 in a negative context.Tatoeba #6940041 by Cheng, translation #3910176 by CH
- 我们还可以再见面吗?Could I see you again?This sentence uses 再见 to ask about meeting again.Tatoeba #6402750 by Lemmih, translation #6402751 by Lemmih
- 谢谢您的贡献。预计我们很快会再见面。Thank you for all your contributions. We expect to see you again soon.This sentence uses 再见 to express an expectation of seeing someone soon.Tatoeba #6792265 by eamost, translation #1057567 by Eldad
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Haoran and Yuting are leaving a coffee shop after a chat.
- 浩然 Haoran我该走了，再见。Wǒ gāi zǒu le, zàijiàn.I should go now, see you again.
- 雨婷 Yuting好的，再见。Hǎo de, zàijiàn.Okay, see you again.
- 浩然 Haoran明天见。Míngtiān jiàn.See you tomorrow.
- 雨婷 Yuting明天见，浩然。Míngtiān jiàn, Hàorán.See you tomorrow, Haoran.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
