How to Say ‘Hello’ in Traditional Chinese
你好
nǐ hǎo
[nǐ how]
💬 Usage Tip: 你好 literally uses 你 + 好: "you" + "good," a common Chinese way to greet someone. The same pattern works with titles too, like 老師好 for "hello, teacher."
🇹🇼 In Taiwan: In Taiwan, 你好 is understood everywhere, but with strangers it can sound a bit textbook or direct. In everyday situations, people often just start with 不好意思 to get attention, or go straight to the question politely.
Phrase Breakdown
你
nǐ
[nǐ]
you
Refers to the person being spoken to.
你今天看起來很高興。
You look happy today.
好
hǎo
[how]
good; well
A basic adjective meaning good, favorable, or well.
這是一個好機會，你可以把握一下。
This is a good opportunity, and you can make use of it.
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