How to say “hello” in Chinese
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
Both syllables are third tones, which triggers sandhi: the first 你 (nǐ) is actually said as a rising second tone (ní hǎo). Say it that way out loud.
In a sentence
你好，我叫李明。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng.
Hello, my name is Li Ming.
Hear it and say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "hello" in Chinese?+
"hello" in Mandarin Chinese is 你好, pronounced nǐ hǎo. Both syllables are third tones, which triggers sandhi: the first 你 (nǐ) is actually said as a rising second tone (ní hǎo). Say it that way out loud.
What does 你好 mean literally?+
你好 breaks down as 你 (nǐ) = you, 好 (hǎo) = good / well. Together it means "hello".
How do I get the tones right in nǐ hǎo?+
Both syllables are third tones, which triggers sandhi: the first 你 (nǐ) is actually said as a rising second tone (ní hǎo). Say it that way out loud.
More phrases like this
Master the tones behind it
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index.