一会儿聊
yīhuǐr liáo
The phrase 'talk to you later' in Chinese is 一会儿聊 (yīhuǐr liáo).
一会儿聊 is a casual way to say goodbye when you expect to speak with the person again soon. Using this phrase implies that the conversation will resume or a new conversation will happen in the near future, typically within the same day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 一会儿 (yīhuǐr), meaning 'a little while' and 聊 (liáo), meaning 'to chat'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
一会儿聊 is informal and is best used with friends, colleagues or people you are already close to. In informal settings, you might also encounter 再见 (zài jiàn), which directly translates to 'goodbye' but can also mean 'see you later' or 待会儿见 (dāi huìr jiàn), which means 'see you later'.
How do you pronounce it?
yīhuǐr liáo
Did you know?
- In some regions, saying 一会儿聊 without a specific time frame can be a polite way to end a conversation you find boring without actually committing to a return date.
- The 儿 (r) sound at the end of 一会儿 is a characteristic of the Beijing dialect called 'erhua' and is often dropped or softened in southern China.
- If you swap 聊 (liáo) for 侃 (kǎn), you change the vibe from a simple chat to something more like 'shooting the breeze' or loud, boisterous storytelling.
Examples in context
- 我先走了，一会儿聊。Wǒ xiān zǒu le, yīhuìr liáo.I'm leaving now, talk to you later.
- 先忙吧，一会儿聊。Xiān máng ba, yīhuìr liáo.Go ahead with your work, talk to you later.
Example conversation
Two friends are ending a quick phone call.
- 雨婷 Yuting浩然，我快到家了。Hào rán, wǒ kuài dào jiā le.Haoran, I'm almost home.
- 浩然 Haoran好的，你先休息吧。Hǎo de, nǐ xiān xiūxi ba.Okay, go get some rest first.
- 雨婷 Yuting没问题，一会儿聊！Méi wèntí, yīhuǐ'er liáo!No problem, talk to you later!
- 浩然 Haoran拜拜。Bàibài.Bye bye.
