Glossary

Greetings

Greetings Chinese Glossary

This greetings glossary groups 8 practical Mandarin words and phrases that learners are likely to hear in real conversations. Instead of treating each item as a translation pair, study the pinyin, example sentence, English meaning, and related practice route together so the word becomes usable in speech.

Start with high-frequency items such as 你好 (nǐ hǎo), 谢谢 (xièxie), 再见 (zàijiàn), 请 (qǐng), 不客气 (bú kèqi), 对不起 (duìbuqǐ). Read the example aloud, notice the surrounding measure word or sentence pattern, then reuse the phrase in a restaurant, travel, shopping, listening, or HSK scenario.

Practice plan for greetings phrases

  1. Step 1: Pick three greetings phrases and say each example sentence twice: once slowly with pinyin, once at normal speed.
  2. Step 2: Replace one detail in each example so the phrase becomes your own sentence.
  3. Step 3: Use the related practice links to test the phrase in a short dialogue.
  4. Step 4: Review the phrase again tomorrow and focus on the correction that felt least natural.

Greetings

你好

nǐ hǎo · hello

你好 is the most common beginner Mandarin greeting. It is useful for starting simple conversations, but learners should also practice more natural follow-up phrases.

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Greetings

谢谢

xièxie · thank you

谢谢 means thank you. It is one of the first polite words Chinese learners should use in restaurants, shops, taxis, and daily conversation.

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Greetings

再见

zàijiàn · goodbye

再见 is the standard Mandarin word for goodbye. It is safe in class, work, travel, and most beginner conversations.

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Greetings

请

qǐng · please / invite

请 is a polite word used before requests, invitations, and service phrases. It helps direct Mandarin sentences sound softer.

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Greetings

不客气

bú kèqi · you are welcome

不客气 is a common reply to 谢谢. It helps beginners complete polite exchanges in Mandarin.

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Greetings

对不起

duìbuqǐ · sorry / excuse me

对不起 is the standard way to apologize or get attention. Learners should use it after bumping into someone or before asking for help.

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Greetings

没关系

méi guānxi · it does not matter / no problem

没关系 is the go-to reply to 对不起. It means the mistake, lateness, or inconvenience is not a big deal.

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Greetings

不好意思

bù hǎoyìsi · sorry / excuse me

不好意思 is the most versatile everyday apology and attention-getter. Use it to squeeze through a crowd, ask a stranger a question, or soften a minor mistake — it is lighter than 对不起.

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Common questions about greetings vocabulary

What is the best way to learn Greetings Chinese phrases?

Learn each phrase with pinyin, context, and a reusable sentence. Greetings vocabulary becomes easier to remember when you immediately use it in a realistic prompt instead of memorizing the English gloss only.

Should I memorize every glossary entry at once?

No. Pick a small group, practice it in sentences, and review it over several days. Depth is more useful than a long one-time list.

How do the related practice pages help?

They turn static vocabulary into active output. You can reuse the phrase, get corrections, and save words that still need spaced repetition review.