How Are You in Chinese: Natural Ways to Ask and Greet People in Mandarin Chinese

This article is your guide to learn Mandarin greetings with people you know. But wait, why is it just for people you know? Compared to the UK culture, small talk with strangers does not prevail in China, and staff at shops or whatever generally won't ask "how are you?" You know and that's enough for shopping and travelling in China. However, with deeper interactions, it starts with "How are you?" This is the gateway to communicating with friends and acquaintances, as well as maintaining polite business conversations!

Your first greeting words in Mandarin Chinese: 你好, 您好, 哈喽, and 嗨

Here are your first essential greeting words in Mandarin Chinese, each suited for a different occasion.

The versatile and respectful is your foundational "hello," suitable for almost any situation, such as greeting a classmate or a shop attendant. Sometimes if you want to draw the attention of the shop attendant or the restaurant waiter, you can also say to them to call them over. For example:

To show deference to an elder, a superior, or someone you've just met in a formal setting, you would use the more polite (nínhǎo)您好, which elevates the greeting with its respectful pronoun. Usually, staff at the concert or theater will greet customers in this way. For example:

For a casual, modern vibe infused with Western influence, particularly in text messages or with friends, you can opt for the borrowed or the simple and friendly (hāi)嗨, which mirror the familiar sounds of "hello" and "hi" in English. When trying to pronounce these two words, you should just say "hello" and "hi", the same way you pronounce English. These two words are the most common Chinese greetings, and every beginner should pick them up. Some scenarios are:

Your practical lesson on how to say "how are you": 你好吗？你怎么样？工作怎么样？最近怎么样？您身体好吗？

你好吗？❌你怎么样？✅最近怎么样？✅

The textbook standard when learning the Chinese language is often to use However, as this is more of a direct translation from English, Chinese native speakers usually do not adopt this expression in daily exchanges. Together with and , these expressions are common in textbooks, but in real life, you should proceed to greet with these expressions with caution. Here's why.

When it comes to greeting in business scenarios or occasions that you do not know the other party quite well, try to greet as vaguely as possible. Use expressions like , so people can reply to you with whatever comes to their mind and whatever feels comfortable to them. A possible conversation can be:

Bingo! Now you get some safe topics to proceed with the conversation, and in this case, you know it would be a good choice to talk about the kids more with this speaker.

Proceed with caution: 工作怎么样？您身体好吗？

Therefore, when you use more specific greetings about the other party's health or job, you are running the risk of stumbling on topics that the other speaker will not enjoy that much. Especially when asking health of the elderly, the other speaker might not feel comfortable about it if the health condition is actually not that good... Unless you know this friend well and are aware that this is a safe topic. For example:

Learn Chinese phrases that show concern for someone: 你怎么了, 你没事吧

When you notice someone appears distressed, unwell, or has had a mishap, moving beyond a simple greeting to express genuine concern is a way to show care. In these moments, two phrases become essential. directly asks "What's wrong?" or "What happened?" and is used to inquire about the cause of a visible problem. translates to "Are you okay?" or "Are you alright?" and is used to check on someone's health or state after a shock or minor accident. The tone is crucial—deliver these questions with a soft, caring tone and attentive body language to convey sincerity, not just curiosity.

Watch YouTube and learn ways to ask "how are you"

Equip yourself with basic Chinese greetings via media! There is simply no other more convenient or thorough method than this for you to know the meanings, usages, and connotations. And, who says that we can't have fun when studying these Chinese words? Migaku app can help you generate subtitles and create flashcards for sentences, helping you collect expressions to greet people in Chinese!

FAQs

Practice the pronunciation and usage, and greet like a Chinese native!

To truly greet like a native, immerse yourself: watch a Chinese drama and listen for these exchanges, sing along to a pop song, or follow a friendly vlogger. Language lives in sound and rhythm.

Impress your Chinese friends with the most natural greetings!