Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 一會兒見 / 一会儿见 | yīhuìr jiàn, yīhuǐr jiàn |
| 拜拜 | báibái |
| 回頭見 / 回头见 | huítóu jiàn |
| 回見 / 回见 | huíjiàn |
| 再會 / 再会 | zàihuì |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 一會兒見 / 一会儿见 literally means "one moment see".
Which one should you use?
The phrase 一會兒見 / 一会儿见 implies seeing the person again in a very short period, such as minutes or hours. In contrast, 回頭見 / 回头见 literally means "turn head see" and is used when you expect to see the person again later in the same day or at an unspecified near future, often translated as "see you around" or "catch you on the flipside".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several registers available. 再會 / 再会 is a formal way to say "see you again" and is much less common in casual daily conversation than the other forms. For an affectionate and formal tone, one might use the expression 希望早日再见. For informal daily use, you can use 一會兒見 / 一会儿见 (meaning "see you in a little while"), 回頭見 / 回头见 (meaning "see you around") or the colloquial 待会儿见 (meaning "see you later" or "catch you later"). The term 拜拜 is also a common way to say goodbye.
How do you pronounce it?
yīhuìr jiàn, yīhuǐr jiàn
Did you know?
- The informal 拜拜 is written using characters that traditionally mean 'to worship' or 'to bow' to a deity. While the meaning has changed to a simple English-style 'bye-bye', the written form remains very religious in origin.
- In certain contexts like hospitals or funerals, speakers may avoid using 再見 / 再见 because the concept of meeting 'again' can be perceived as unlucky.
- The phrase 回頭見 / 回头见 uses the words 'turn' and 'head', treating time as if the person is simply waiting around a physical corner.
Examples in context
- 感谢大家的参与，到时候见！Thank you all for participating, see you later!
- 保重，希望早日再见Take care, hope to see you again soon.
- 拜拜了，一会儿见Bye, see you soon!
- 好啦，回头见Alright, see you around!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see you soon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 拜拜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
