Greetings and polite speech
Hello and goodbye, thanks and sorry, names and titles.
Hello and goodbye
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | nǐhǎo | hello |
| 您好 | nín hǎo | hello, politely |
| 大家好 | dàjiā hǎo | hello, everyone |
| 早上好, 早 | zǎoshang hǎo, zǎo | good morning |
| 好久不见 | hǎojiǔ bú jiàn | long time no see |
| 再见 | zàijiàn | goodbye |
| 明天见 | míngtiān jiàn | see you tomorrow |
Friends often greet each other with a question instead: 吃了吗？ "Have you eaten?" or 去哪儿啊？ "Where are you off to?" They aren't real questions; a short answer will do. 你好吗？ "How are you?" is less common than in English.
Thanks and sorry
| Saying | Answer |
|---|---|
| 谢谢 xièxie thank you | 不客气 bú kèqi, 不用谢 bú yòng xiè you're welcome |
| 对不起 duìbuqǐ I'm sorry | 没关系 méi guānxi it doesn't matter |
| 不好意思 bù hǎoyìsi sorry, excuse me | 没事 méishì it's nothing |
不好意思 is a lighter "sorry", for small things like squeezing past someone or asking a favour.
- "Xièxie nǐ!" "Bú kèqi.""Thank you!" "You're welcome."
- "Duìbuqǐ." "Méi guānxi.""I'm sorry." "That's all right."
Please
请 qǐng before a verb is "please": 请进 "come in", 请坐 "have a seat". 请问 qǐngwèn "may I ask" starts a question to a stranger.
- Qǐngwèn, xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr?Excuse me, where's the toilet?
Names and titles
A Chinese name puts the surname first: 王小明 is Mr Wang, given name Xiaoming. To ask someone's name politely, ask 您贵姓？ "your honourable surname?". People are addressed by surname and title: 王老师 "Teacher Wang", 李先生 "Mr Li", 张女士 "Ms Zhang".
- "Nín guìxìng?" "Wǒ xìng Wáng, jiào Wáng Xiǎomíng.""What's your surname?" "My surname is Wang; I'm Wang Xiaoming."
Being modest
Praise is usually turned aside rather than accepted: 哪里哪里 nǎlǐ nǎlǐ "not at all", or 过奖了 guòjiǎng le "you flatter me".
- "Nǐ de Hànyǔ shuō de zhēn hǎo!" "Nǎlǐ nǎlǐ.""Your Chinese is really good!" "Oh, not at all."
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Getting started cards.
What do you answer to 谢谢?
不客气 (bú kèqi), or 不用谢.
What do you answer to 对不起 (I'm sorry)?
没关系 (méi guānxi).
How do you politely ask someone's surname?
您贵姓？ (nín guìxìng)
How do you start a question to a stranger, like "Excuse me, where is …?"
With 请问 (qǐngwèn), "may I ask".
In 王小明, which part is the surname?
王: the surname comes first.
How do you answer a compliment on your Chinese, modestly?
哪里哪里 (nǎlǐ nǎlǐ), "not at all".
What does a friend's 吃了吗？ (Have you eaten?) usually mean?
Just "hello": a greeting, not a real question.
How is 不好意思 different from 对不起?
It is a lighter "sorry, excuse me", for small things.