Learn How to Say Hello in Mandarin and Cantonese (2024)

Knowing how to say hello in Mandarin and Cantonese allows you to properly greet more than 1.4 billion people who speak the languages. These basic greetings will help in your travels through China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan and will be understood in Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking communities worldwide. Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, so knowing how to say "hello" is extremely useful!

Mandarin and Cantonese are notoriously difficult languages to master, and native speakers of those languages know this and appreciate the effort. Arelatively short word can take on completely different meanings depending on which of the four tones in Mandarinis used (or six tones in Cantonese!). Pinyin, a Romanization system for the Chinese characters, makes it easier to "read" Chinese, but you'll need to leave your English pronunciation habits behind.

Fortunately, tones aren't much of an issue for learning simple ways to say hello in Chinese. Context helps. You'll always be understood and will get plenty of smiles for the effort, particularly if you utilize a few tips for communicating with Chinese speakers.

Learn How to Say Hello in Mandarin and Cantonese (1)

The Difference Between Chinese and Mandarin

Mandarin is a form of Chinese spoken in Mainland China. Although there are eight dialects and more than 200 languages spoken in China, Mandarin is the common language, spoken by nearly everyone. Cantonese is spoken in the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi and in Hong Kong and Macau. You will encounter Mandarin while traveling in Beijing, and because it is the "speech of officials," knowing how to say hello in Mandarin is useful everywhere you go.

Mandarin has four tones:

The Easiest Way to Say Hello in Chinese

Ni hao(pronounced "nee haow") is the basic, default greeting in Mandarin Chinese. It is written as 你好 (nǐ hǎo). Ni hao's meaning is, literally, "you OK/good."

Although both words in Pinyin are marked as third tone (nǐ hǎo), the pronunciation changes a bit because two third tones occur back to back. In this instance, the firstword (nǐ) is pronounced with a second tone that rises in pitch while the second word (hǎo) keeps the third tone and is pronounced with a "dip," a falling-then-rising tone.

Some people, particularly in Taiwan, choose to enhance the greeting by adding the interrogative "ma" to the end to form "nihaoma?"Turning "you good" into a friendly "how are you?" But this isn't used as often in Beijing as language guides seem to think it is. When traveling in mainland China, a simple ni hao will suffice!

You will probably hear "hi" and "hello" often when being greeted as a Westerner in Beijing. You can reply with ni hao for practice and to be polite.

Saying Hello in Formal Occasions

Following the concept of saving face in Asia, elders and those of higher social status should always be shown a little extra respect. Adding just one additional letter (ni becomes nin) will make your greeting a bit more formal. Usenín hăo(pronounced "neen haow")—a more polite variation of the standard greeting—when greeting older people. The first word used is still a rising tone.

You can also make nin hao into "how are you?" by adding the question word ma to the end for nin hao ma?

Simple Responses in Chinese

The easiest reply to ni hao is offering a ni hao in return, but taking the greeting one step further is sure to get a smile during the interaction. Regardless, you should reply with something—not acknowledging someone's friendly ni hao is bad etiquette.

Hǎo: good
Hěn hǎo: very good
Bù hǎo: not good (bad)
Xiè xie: thank you (pronounced similar to "zh-yeh zh-yeh" with two falling tones) is optional and can be added to the end.
Nǐne: and you? (pronounced "nee nuh")

A simplegreeting sequence could proceed like this:

You:Ni hao! (hello)

Friend: Ni hao ma? (how are you?)

You: Wo hen hao! Xie xie. Ni ne? (I am very good, thanks. And you?)

Friend:Hao. Xie xie. (Good. Thanks.)

How to Say Hello in Cantonese

Although it seems similar to Mandarin, Cantonese is actually quite different with six different tones instead of four. However, when it comes to greetings, saying hello in Cantonese is quite similar to Mandarin.Neih hou(pronounced "nay hoe") replaces ni hao. Both words have a rising tone.

Note: Although neih hou ma? is grammatically correct, it is uncommon to say this in Cantonese.

A common response in Cantonese is gei hou which means "fine."

Given Hong Kong's English history, you'll often hear "ha-lo" as a friendly hello! But reserve "ha-lo" for casual and informal situations. All other times, you should be saying neih hou.

Should I Bow When Saying Hello in Chinese?

No, absolutely not. Unlike in Japan where bowing is common, people tend to only bow in China during martial arts, as an apology, or to show deep respect at funerals. Many Chinese people opt to shake hands, but don't expect the usual firm, Western-style handshake. Eye contact and a smile are important.

Although bowing in China is rare, make sure you return one if you receive a bow. As with bowing in Japan, maintaining eye contact as you bow is seen as a martial arts challenge!

How to Say Cheers in Chinese

After saying hello in Chinese, you may end up making new friends—particularly if you're at a banquet or in a bar. Be prepared; there are some rules for proper drinking etiquette. You should certainly know how to say cheers in Chinese! The default toast in China isganbei(sounds like: “gon bay”) which literally means "dry cup."

Along with knowing how to say hello, learning some useful phrases in Mandarin before traveling in China is a good idea.