Hello in Mandarin Chinese

Knowing how to say hello in Chinese could be one of the most important phrases to ever learn in the Chinese language! By including this important Mandarin Chinese phrase into your vocabulary, you’ll be prepared to greet anyone in Mandarin!

Two Ways to Say Hello in Mandarin Chinese

It is important, of course, to know which hello phrase should be used with which group of people, but all of that can be easily explained with the following brief video.  Hello in Mandarin Chinese is basically said in two different ways—one for those who are your peers, and one that is the more formal or polite form of the phrase to be used at formal occasions, when you first meet someone for the first time, but always used when addressing someone that is older than you.

Hello in Mandarin: the Common Greeting

These two Chinese characters form the phrase hello in Chinese which is commonly used in greeting peers and those younger than you (or anyone if the occasion is informal).  They are pronounced as “knee how,” but both characters are said with the third tone, meaning that you begin with your normal speaking voice, lower the pitch, and then raise it again at the end.  (See How to learn the Chinese Language or Mastering Chinese Tones for further detail).

Hello in Mandarin: the Polite Greeting

This more polite version of hello in Mandarin Chinese should always be used when addressing the elderly, but is also very appropriate at formal occasions for your peers or those to whom you wish to show respect.  Since this phrase is SO close to the common greeting, you might want to pay special attention to the first Chinese character.  Instead of “nĭ” said with the third tone, you will say “nín” said with the second tone which is a rising pitch.  The pronunciation is much like “knee” but with an added “n” on the end, making it “kneen.”

When to Say Which Hello in Chinese

It truly is necessary to know the exact situation for when to use each of these “hello in Chinese” phrases.  Using the formal phrase constantly is a wise choice if you’re ever in doubt, but you’ll soon find it seems out of place to address your close friends in this way!

Knowing how to use both of these phrases properly will give you the confidence to meet and greet everyone you run into!  Learning how to say hello in Chinese is an important skill for your travel to China or interest in Chinese culture!  Enjoy practicing this phrase with everyone you meet!

Then, once you know how to say hello in Chinese, you might want to take a look at another important phrase which is goodbye in Chinese.  How to say goodbye in Chinese is slightly easier than hello, at least in regards to Chinese tones.  As for the Chinese PinYin sounds, though, I’d say that they’re both about as equally difficult.

But, in either case, being able to recognize the Chinese characters as you learn to say these phrases will help you to become adept in the language itself!  Although recognizing the characters won’t be essential at first, you’ll really come to find this skill handy as you progress in the Mandarin language!

Good luck in your journey to learn Chinese!  Continue to learn new phrases everyday so that you soon learn to speak Chinese fluently.  The most important factor in determining how soon you will learn to speak Chinese truly is the level of your passion or drive for the topic. So, never give up and continue to surround yourself with the written and spoken language so that you become proficient in your journey to learn Chinese!

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