Saying hello is a fundamental social interaction and a way to greet someone in any language. When visiting Taiwan, learning to say hello in Chinese is essential, even if you’re not planning on seriously studying Mandarin Chinese. This article presents ten ways to say hello in Chinese that you can use in different contexts while traveling in Taiwan.
A summary of the expressions are available with Pinyin annotation at the end of the article.
你好 (ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ)
The most common way to say hello in Chinese is 你好. This phrase is simple, easy to remember, and can be used in both formal and informal settings. In formal settings, you should say 您好 (ㄋㄧㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ)
早安 (ㄗㄠˇ ㄢ)
早安 is a way of saying good morning in Taiwan. It is used to greet someone in the morning until around 11 am. The expression is often shortened by just saying 早 (ㄗㄠˇ).
午安 (ㄨˇ ㄢ)
午安 is a way of saying good afternoon in Chinese. It is used to greet someone in the afternoon from 12 noon until 2 pm.
哈羅 (ㄏㄚ ㄌㄨㄛ)
哈羅 is a Chinese transliteration of the English word “hello.” It is commonly used among young people or in informal settings.
嗨 (ㄏㄞ)
嗨 is a casual and friendly way of saying hello in Chinese. It is commonly used among friends or people of similar age. It is a transliteration of the English word “hi”.
嘿 (ㄏㄟ)
嘿 is another casual and friendly way of saying hello in Chinese. It can also be used to grab someone’s attention. It is a transliteration of the English word “hey”.
怎麼了 (ㄗㄣˇ ㄇㄜ˙ ㄌㄜ˙)
怎麼了 is a way of saying “what’s up” or “what’s wrong” in Chinese. It is used to show concern for someone or to start a conversation.
大家好 (ㄉㄚˋ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄏㄠˇ)
大家好 means “hello everyone” in Chinese. It is often used in group settings, such as meetings or gatherings.
你們好 (ㄋㄧˇ ㄇㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ)
你們好 means “hello, you all” in Chinese. It is also used to greet a group of people. Unlike 你好, the expression cannot be turned formal by replacing the first character with 您.
喂 (ㄨㄟˋ)
喂 is a way of saying hello over the phone in Chinese. It is also used to grab someone’s attention.
Summary
| Chinese | Bopomofo | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你好 | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ | nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| 您好 | ㄋㄧㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ | nín hǎo | Hello (formal) |
| 早安 | ㄗㄠˇ ㄢ | zǎo ān | Good morning |
| 午安 | ㄨˇ ㄢ | wǔ ān | Good afternoon |
| 哈羅 | ㄏㄚ ㄌㄨㄛ | hā luō | Hello |
| 嗨 | ㄏㄞ | hāi | Hi |
| 嘿 | ㄏㄟ | hēi | Hey |
| 怎麼了 | ㄗㄣˇ ㄇㄜ˙ ㄌㄜ˙ | zěn me le | What’s up? |
| 大家好 | ㄉㄚˋ ㄐㄧㄚ ㄏㄠˇ | dà jiā hǎo | Hello everyone |
| 你們好 | ㄋㄧˇ ㄇㄣˊ ㄏㄠˇ | nǐ men hǎo | Hello, you all |
| 喂 | ㄨㄟˋ | wèi | Hello (on the phone) |
The ten ways to say hello in Chinese presented in this article offer various options to choose from based on the situation and person you’re greeting. Learning to say hello in Chinese can help you connect with people, break the ice, and build relationships, whether you’re with friends or attending a formal event. So, try out these different ways of saying hello and see where they take you!
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