ciao

/ˈtʃa.o/

hello or goodbye

Ciao, come stai?

Hi, how are you?

informal

An informal way to say hello or goodbye, commonly used in Italian.

Ciao, a presto!

Bye, see you soon!

Used in both casual greetings and farewells, primarily in informal contexts.

Collocations

hi there (informal, often used with friends)

'Ciao' is appropriate for friends and peers but may be too casual for formal settings.

Derived from the Venetian dialect, possibly from the phrase 's-ciào vostro' meaning 'I am your slave.'

While 'ciao' is versatile, 'arrivederci' is more formal for goodbye.

Dizionario Italiano-Inglese