Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 拜拜 | báibái |
| 回頭見 / 回头见 | huítóu jiàn |
| 回見 / 回见 | huíjiàn |
| 一會兒見 / 一会儿见 | yīhuìr jiàn, yīhuǐr jiàn |
| 再會 / 再会 | zàihuì |
You might use 拜拜 for a simple goodbye, 一会儿见 if you will see them very shortly or 再会 for a more formal or indefinite parting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 回头见 literally means 'turn head see'. The phrase 一会儿见 literally means 'one moment see'.
Which one should you use?
Use 一会儿见 specifically when you are going to see the person again within a very short period of time, such as a few minutes or an hour. Use 回头见 when you expect to see the person again later the same day. In contrast, 再会 is more general and can imply a much longer interval between meetings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
拜拜 is an informal expression borrowed from the English 'bye-bye'. 再会 is a formal way to say goodbye, often used in formal speeches or written text. 再见啦 is a colloquial option.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The colloquial form 再见啦 is commonly used among peers, especially in southern parts of China.
How do you pronounce it?
báibái
Did you know?
- While 拜拜 sounds like English, the character 拜 actually means 'to worship' or 'to bow'. In traditional contexts, this refers to paying respects to ancestors or deities.
- The phrase 再会 is so formal that using it in a casual setting with friends might make you sound like a character from a period drama or a historical novel.
- In modern digital communication, young Chinese speakers often replace these phrases with the English 'Bye' or 'BB' in text messages to be even more concise than 拜拜.
Examples in context
- 拜拜。bàibài.Bye-bye.
- 我們下次再說，拜拜。wǒmen xiàcì zài shuō, bàibài.We will talk next time, bye-bye.
- 好了，我要回家了，拜拜。hǎo le, wǒ yào huí jiā le, bàibài.Alright, I am going home now, bye-bye.
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are finishing a quick chat at a coffee shop.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，我得走了。Jiāyí, wǒ děi zǒu le.Jiayi, I have to go.
- 佳怡 Jiayi好的，偉，拜拜。hǎo de, Wěi, bàibài.Okay, Wei, bye-bye.
- 伟 Wei明天見。míngtiān jiàn.See you tomorrow.
- 佳怡 Jiayi明天見！míngtiān jiàn!See you tomorrow!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
