First, Let’s Say Hello: Nǐ hǎo
Nǐ hǎo（你好） is the most everyday way to say hello in Chinese.
- Nǐ（你） means “you”
- hǎo（好） means “good”
It’s used in situations similar to English Hi or Hello.
This greeting is universal across Chinese communities worldwide, but it’s best suited for people you don’t know well. With very close acquaintances, we skip the pleasantries and just get straight to the point. With peers or younger people, we usually just call them by name.
Different Occasions, Different Greetings
Formal Occasions: Xìng huì
On more formal, polite occasions, we might say:
Xìng huì（幸会）
- Xìng（幸） means “fortunate” (lucky)
- Huì（会） means “meet”
Together it roughly equals the English Nice to meet you.
Everyday Mealtimes: Chī le ma
But most of the time — especially among everyday folks, particularly in villages at mealtimes — we’re more likely to say:
Chī le ma（吃了吗）
Chī means “eat,” and ma is a question particle that marks a yes/no question, so together it means Did you eat?. Out of politeness, the person asked will usually answer “Chī guò le” (I’ve eaten).
However, whether you answer “I’ve eaten” or “I haven’t,” the other person will warmly invite you to eat at their home — especially if you say you haven’t, the invitation gets even more enthusiastic. This is a tradition handed down from our agricultural civilization.
There’s an old Chinese saying: mín yǐ shí wéi tiān（民以食为天） — “Food is the first necessity of the people.” Eating is the most important thing in life. In ancient times, being able to eat your fill was the greatest happiness; just a few decades ago, China still experienced famine. So when we ask “Have you eaten?”, we’re genuinely hoping the other person has had enough to eat.
For Elders: Address Them by Title
Confucian culture places great importance on cháng yòu yǒu xù（长幼有序） — the proper order between older and younger. So we address elders by their kinship title, like dà yé（大爷,roughly “uncle”） or dà yí（大姨, roughly “aunt”）.
For example, at a family gathering where several elders are present, when you first arrive you have to go around addressing each by the correct title: èr jiù（二舅,“second uncle”）, xiǎo yí（小姨, “younger aunt”）, and so on. This not only shows respect, but also lets everyone know you’ve arrived.
Summary: How to Greet People in China
| Scenario | What to say | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Traveling in China | Nǐ hǎo | Nǐ hǎo |
| Doing business in China | Xìng huì | Xìng huì |
| Meeting at mealtimes | Chī le ma | Chī le ma |
| Peers / younger people | Call them by name | — |
| Elders | Address them by kinship title | — |
Quick recap:
- You can say Nǐ hǎo to anyone, in a friendly way
- Use Xìng huì for business
- At mealtimes, you can ask Chī le ma and warmly invite the person to join you for a meal
- For peers or younger people, call them by name
- For elders, address them by their kinship title
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