你好

Chinese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

你好

1. hello; hi

   你好，好久不見。 [MSC, trad.]
   你好，好久不见。 [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ hǎo, hǎojiǔbùjiàn.

   Hi, long time no see.

Often used as a polite way of getting someone's attention.

• → English: nihao
• → Japanese: 你好(ニーハオ) (nīhao)
• → Zhuang: mwngz ndei (calque)

• 好 (hǎo, “good (often used in greetings)”)
• 您好 (nín hǎo, “hello (polite)”)
• 你們好／你们好 (nǐmen hǎo, “hello (to a group)”)
• 喂 (wéi, “hello (on the phone)”)
• 幸會／幸会 (xìnghuì)
• 哈囉／哈啰 (hāluó) (from "hello")
• 嗨 (hāi) (from "hi")
• (Wu) 儂好／侬好
• (Cantonese, informal) 哈佬 (hālǎo) (from "hello")
• (Min) 汝好

From modern Mandarin 你好 (nǐ hǎo, “hello”).

• (Tokyo) ニイハオ (Atamadaka – )^[1]
• IPA^(key):

你好(ニイハオ) or 你好(ニーハオ) • (nīhao) 

1. (informal, rare) hi, hello (in a Chinese context)
   • 1967, リービ英雄, 我的中国, Page 221

     「你好(ニーハオ)」と僧(そう)はすこし驚(おどろ)いた表(ひょう)情(じょう)で答(こた)えた。

     “Nīhao” to sō wa sukoshi odoroita hyōjō de kotaeta.

     The monk said "Nihao", looking a little surprised

   • 1985, 山崎豊子, ”虱”だらけの指導者・胡耀邦 in 『山崎豊子全集19 大地の子（一）』, 2005, Page 605

     小(しょう)学(がっ)校(こう)帰(がえ)りの赤(あか)いスカーフを胸(むな)もとに巻(ま)いた児(じ)童(どう)たちに出会(であ)い、你好(ニイハオ)！と声(こえ)をかけると、どこでも你好(ニイハオ)！と挨(あい)拶(さつ)が返(かえ)って来(く)る

     Shōgakkō gaeri no akai sukāfu o munamoto ni maita jidō tachi ni deai, nīhao! to koe o kakeru to, doko demo nīhao! to aisatsu ga kaette kuru

     When I meet children with a red neckerchief on their chest on their way back to home from school, and I say nihao to them, wherever it is, they return a greeting of nihao to me

   • 1987, 鈴木孝雄, 異文化融合と民族性と…… in 『公明』, 1987, No. 7, Page 99

     「你好(ニイハオ)」と声(こえ)をかけたら「你好(ニイハオ)」と顔(かお)をあげた。「みかけない顔(かお)だ、どこから来(き)たか」「日(に)本(ほん)から来(き)た」

     “Nīhao” to koe o kaketara “nīhao” to kao o ageta.“Mikakenai kao da, doko kara kita ka” “Nihon kara kita”

     "Nihao," I talked to him. "Nihao", he said, looking up at me, "I haven't seen you around here. Where are you from?" - "I came from Japan."

• こんにちは (konnichi wa)

• 謝謝(シエシエ) (shieshie, “thank you (in Chinese context)”)