下次见
xià cì jiàn
see you next time in Chinese is expressed as 下次见 (xià cì jiàn).
A phrase used to say goodbye to someone you expect to see again.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 下次 (next time) and 见 (to see/to meet).
Which one should you use?
While 下次见 specifically implies the 'next time', 再见 is the more common, general way to say goodbye.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase does not require a subject like 'I' or 'we' to be grammatically complete in spoken Chinese.
How do you pronounce it?
xià cì jiàn
Did you know?
- In many digital contexts like WeChat, users might omit the characters entirely and use the number '88' as a phonetic slang for 'bye bye', which carries a similar sentiment to 'see you'.
- The word 见 (to see) is used in the phrase 见外, which means 'to treat someone like a stranger'. This uses the concept of 'seeing' to describe a social distance between friends.
- While 下次见 is perfectly understood, it can sound slightly more formal or deliberate than the ubiquitous 拜拜 (bài bài), which is a direct loanword from the English 'bye-bye' used constantly in casual settings.
Examples in context
- 好了，下次见。Hǎole, xiàcì jiàn.Alright, see you next time.
- 我们下次见吧。Wǒmen xiàcì jiàn ba.Let's see each other next time.
Example conversation
Two friends are finishing a study session at a cafe.
- 梓涵 Zihan志强，时间不早了，我先走啦。Zhìqiáng, shíjiān bù zǎo le, wǒ xiān zǒu la.Zhiqiang, it's getting late, I'm leaving now.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好的，梓涵，路上小心。Hǎo de, Zǐhán, lù shàng xiǎo xīn.Okay, Zihan, be careful on the way.
- 梓涵 Zihan谢谢，我们下次见！Xiè xie, wǒ men xià cì jiàn!Thanks, see you next time!
- 志强 Zhiqiang下次见！Xià cì jiàn!See you next time!
