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How to Say Hello in Chinese
Learn 你好 and 您好, plus when a simple greeting is the natural choice.
Quick answer
你好 = everyday hello · 您好 = polite or respectful hello
你好
hello
您好
hello (polite)
Hear the phrase, then repeat it aloud.
When to use it
Use 你好
when meeting someone or beginning a short interaction. 您好
is useful in more formal or respectful situations.
Common mistake
Do not repeat 你好
throughout a conversation. It opens the interaction; after that, continue with your question or introduction.
Practise aloud
你好！ Hello!
您好！ Hello! (polite)
你好，我叫 Louis。 Hello, my name is Louis.
You’ve got this!
Practise each greeting together with what comes after it: 你好，我叫…, then your name. A greeting sounds natural when it leads straight into your next sentence.