hello; hi
你好
Common Usage & Traps
- 你好 — Hello — the all-purpose opener
- 你好，请问… — Hello, may I ask… (polite opener before a request)
- 你好，我是… — Hello, I'm… (self-introduction opener)
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你好吗？你好！ / 最近怎么样？As a casual 'How are you?' it sounds like a worried health check, not a greeting. Natives only use it when they genuinely wonder if something's wrong.
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（接电话）你好喂？Chinese natives answer the phone with 喂. Saying 你好 on a casual call sounds like a call-center script.
Why does 你好吗 sound strange when you just mean 'How are you?
你好吗 is a real health check, not the casual 'How are you?'
English speakers hear 'How are you?' and reach straight for 你好吗. That's a literal translation, not a real greeting. In Chinese, 你好吗 sounds like you genuinely worry they're sick. Natives save it for someone who's been ill or through a rough patch. For a casual check-in, 最近怎么样 works far better. You can also just say 嗨 or 好久不见 and skip the question entirely.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Casual 'How are you?' | 最近怎么样？ / 嗨 | 你好吗？ |
| Real worry about someone | 你还好吗？ / 没事吧？ | 你好吗？ |
| Greeting a coworker in the hall | 你好 | 你好吗？ |
When you pick up the phone, why do natives say 喂 instead of 你好?
Answer the phone with 喂, not 你好.
Pick up a ringing phone and Chinese natives say 喂, not 你好. 喂 is the phone-only 'hello', short and neutral. Saying 你好 on a call sounds like a call-center agent reading a script. It's fine on a business line, but odd when your mate rings you. Save 你好 for face-to-face meetings or a formal opening.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Friend calls you | 喂？ | 你好 |
| Unknown or business number | 喂，你好 / 您好 | — |
| Meeting someone in person | 你好 | 喂 |
Does 你好 sound cold when you greet a close friend?
Saying 你好 to a close friend sounds stiff and distant.
你好 is polite and slightly formal, like a handshake you give an acquaintance. It works with strangers, shop staff, and new contacts you just met. Fire it at a close friend and you sound distant, almost sarcastic. Natives use 嗨, 早, or just their name instead. Same logic as texting a best mate 'Good day, sir'. “Ａ：你好！” (A: Hello!) ── [《你喜欢看老电影吗？》](/read/do-you-like-old-movies#s1)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting a stranger | 你好 | 嗨 (too casual) |
| Greeting a close friend | 嗨 / 早 / 最近怎么样 | 你好 |
| New coworker or client | 你好 / 您好 | 嗨 |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Before you start learning Chinese, master the most important phrases: greetings. This short dialogue shows you how to say hello and goodbye, and how to respond politely.
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你好 !
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
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你好 ！
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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Ａ： 你好 ！
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