How to Say “Yes” in Chinese

Ways to say it

The word 'yes' is often expressed through particles or specific words that indicate agreement, acceptance or correctness. For instance, you might use 同意 to refer to an answer that shows agreement or acceptance or 同意票 to refer to a vote of support. In casual speech, the non-lexical filler 嗯 is frequently used to signal that you are listening or to show agreement, similar to 'mm-hmm'.

Which one should you use?

The choice of word depends on what you are confirming. 对 (or 對) is used to indicate that a statement is correct or accurate. In contrast, 好 is used to express agreement to a suggestion or a request, similar to saying 'Okay' or 'Fine'.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The particle 啊 is a colloquial form of affirmation. In casual spoken Chinese, 嗯 is used as an informal filler to signal agreement.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Hokkien, you can use 好 or 是. In parts of Southern China, such as Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, the localized forms 係 or 係嘅 are used to say 'yes'.

Related words

Answer that shows agreement or acceptance (noun): 同意.

Vote of support (noun): 同意票.

How does it change in a sentence?

To make the affirmation 对 sound more natural and complete in spoken conversation, you can add the particle 的 to form 对的, which means 'that's right'.

How do you pronounce it?

The pronunciation for 是 is shì.

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers often mistakenly try to use a single word for 'yes' to answer any question. In Chinese, one must often repeat the verb used in the question to confirm.

When do people say it?

When responding to various situations, you might use different phrases: 好的 means 'OK', 没问题 means 'no problem', 当然可以 means 'of course' and 绝对没错 means 'absolutely right'. 谢谢 (xièxiè) means "thank you".