你好

nǐ hǎo
phraseBeginner💡 hello
informal

A common greeting used to say hello or hi to someone.

早上好!

Good morning!

你好,我是李华。

Hello, I'm Li Hua.

💡

This is the most basic and widely used greeting in Chinese. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it leans more informal.

Collocations

你好啊Hi there你好吗How are you?

Antonyms

Related Phrases

您好phrase
Hello (formal)

💡Pro Tip

Tone Matters

The tone of '你好' is neutral and friendly. Avoid using it in overly formal settings; use '您好' instead.

Gold Rule

Basic Greeting

'你好' is the most fundamental greeting in Chinese. Mastering it is essential for any beginner.

📖Word Origin

The phrase '你好' is composed of two characters: '你' (nǐ, you) and '好' (hǎo, good). Literally, it means 'you good,' which evolved into a greeting similar to 'hello' in English.

📝Usage Notes

While '你好' is neutral, '您好' (nín hǎo) is more formal and polite, often used with elders or in professional settings. '你好' is commonly used among friends, family, and in casual conversations.

Word Breakdown

you
pronoun
+
good
adjective
汉英词典