Lesson4: Greetings

How do people usually greet each other? Saying hi maybe the short common greetings ever heard. In Chinese, this word is pronounced similar to English.

hi = 嗨 (hai | ㄏㄞ)

The other way of greetings is 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) which has a similar meaning to hello. 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) consists of two words: 你 (ni | ㄋㄧˇ) = you and 好 (hao | ㄏㄠˇ) = good. So, it is literally translated as "you good". BUT, 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) as greetings means hello.

*Hello while talking on the phone is 喂 (wei | ㄨㄟˋ). Although it is written with the fourth tone, usually is pronounced with the second tone which sounds softer.

Meanwhile,

how are you? = 你好嗎? (ni hao ma?| ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ ㄇㄚ?)

(lit. you good?)

Note. __嗎? (__ma? | __ㄇㄚ?) is ALWAYS added at the final of a sentence to show question sentence. So it is used most of the time to ask something.

Do you like ___?

你喜歡 ___ 嗎? (ni xihuan ___ ma? | ㄋㄧˇ ㄒㄧˇ ㄏㄨㄢ ___ ㄇㄚ?)

RESPONSE

The response to 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) is 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ). Easy way to remember this is: 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) means hello, so when someone says hello, the response is hello.

Response to 你好嗎? (ni hao ma?| ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ ㄇㄚ?) will be different because it means how are you?. You may want to reply I am fine.

I am fine = 我很好 (wo hen hao | ㄨㄛˇ ㄏㄣˇ ㄏㄠˇ)

Then add thank you = 謝謝 (xie xie | ㄒㄧㄝˋ ㄒㄧㄝˋ) afterward.

The formal greetings of 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) and 你好嗎? (ni hao ma?| ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ ㄇㄚ?) is 您好 (nin hao | ㄋㄧㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ) and 您好嗎? (nin hao ma?| ㄋㄧㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ ㄇㄚ?)

The difference is 你 (ni | ㄋㄧˇ) changes into 您 (nin | ㄋㄧㄣˊ). This form is used when you are talking to your superior or in a formal meeting.

Good morning = 早安 (zao an | ㄗㄠˇ ㄢ)

Good afternoon = 午安 (wu an | ㄨˇ ㄢ)

Good night = 晚安 (wan an | ㄨㄢˇ ㄢ)

Goodbye = 再見 (zai jian | ㄗㄞˋ ㄐㄧㄢˋ)

(lit. again see)

OR

Bye Bye = 拜拜 (bai bai | ㄅㄞˋ ㄅㄞˋ)