What are the most common Chinese phrases for greeting others

Everyday Chinese Conversations: Your Complete Guide: What are the most common Chinese phrases for greeting others

The most common Chinese phrases for greeting others include a variety of expressions depending on formality and context:

你好 (nǐ hǎo) — “Hello”: The standard greeting used mostly among strangers and in formal situations, but less casual among friends.⁵^{, 7}
您好 (nín hǎo) — “Hello” (formal): A polite form used to show respect to elders, teachers, superiors, or clients.⁷^{, 5}
嗨 (hāi) or 哈喽 (hā lou) — “Hi”/“Hey”: Casual greetings often used among friends, especially young people.⁶^{, 5}
大家好 (dà jiā hǎo) — “Hello everyone”: Used when greeting a group or audience.⁵^{, 6}
好久不见 (hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn) — “Long time no see”: Used to greet someone after a long period without meeting.⁶^{, 5}
最近怎么样? (zuì jìn zěn me yàng?) — “How’s it going lately?”: A casual way to ask how someone has been recently.⁵^{, 6}
很高兴见到你 (hěn gāo xìng jiàn dào nǐ) — “Nice to meet you”: A polite phrase when meeting someone for the first time.⁷^{, 5}
干嘛呢? (gàn má ne?) — “What are you doing?”: A casual, friendly greeting used among close friends.⁷^{, 5}

These phrases reflect a range from formal to informal greetings suitable for different social contexts in Chinese-speaking environments.

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