Greetings (1)
nǐ hǎo
hello (can be used anytime of the day)
你好
ni hao
nǐmen hǎo
hello (to more than 1 person)
你们好
nimen hao
dàjiā hǎo
hello (to everybody)
大家好
dajia hao
zǎoshang hǎo
good morning (more common in Mainland China)
早上好
zaoshang hao
zǎo’ān
good morning (more common in Taiwan/ Singapore/ Malaysia)
早安
zao’an
zǎo
morning! (most casual)
早
zao
xiàwǔ hǎo
good afternoon
下午好
xiawu hao
wǔ’ān
good afternoon
午安
wu’an
wǎnshang hǎo
good evening
晚上好
wanshang hao
wǎn’ān
good night
晚安
wan’an
nǐ hǎo ma
how are you?
你好吗
ni hao ma
Greetings (2 – casual)
Lái la!
You’re here!
来啦！
laila
Zhème zǎo!
That’s early!
这么早！
zheme zao
Xiànzài cái lái!
Why are you so late? (literally: ‘now finally here’)
现在才来！
xianzai cai lai
Zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
How have you been?
最近怎么样？
zuijin zenmeyang
Zuìjìn máng ma?
Have you been busy?
最近忙吗？
zuijin mang ma
Zuìjìn máng shénme?
What are you busy with?
最近忙什么？
zuijin mang shenme
Hái hǎo ma?
How are you doing?
还好吗？
hai hao ma
Hái hǎo.
Ok, so-so.
还好。
hai hao
Hái búcuò.
Not too bad.
还不错。
hai bucuo
Gōngzuò zěnmeyàng?
How’s work?
工作怎么样？
gongzuo zenmeyang
Gōngzuò hěn máng.
Busy with work.
工作很忙。
gongzuo hen mang
Háishì hěn máng.
Still as busy.
还是很忙。
haishi hen mang
Bú tài máng。
Not very busy.
不太忙。
bu tai mang
