HSK 2 · Article · 155 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-say-hello-in-chinese

你好，你好，你好！

How to say hello in Chinese

Name: ________________ Date: ________

我wǒ刚gāng来lái中国zhōngguó。我wǒ的de中文zhōngwén只有zhíyǒu一yí句jù：“你好níhǎo！”

早上zǎoshang，我wǒ在zài楼下lóuxià看见kànjiàn一个yígè老奶奶láonǎinai。我wǒ说shuō：“你好níhǎo！”她tā笑xiào了le：“早zǎo啊a！”

中午zhōngwǔ，我wǒ在zài门口ménkǒu又yòu看见kànjiàn她tā。“你好níhǎo！”她tā问wèn：“去qù哪儿nǎr啊a？”我wǒ说shuō：“你好níhǎo！”

晚上wǎnshang，我wǒ又yòu看见kànjiàn她tā。“你好níhǎo！”奶奶nǎinai笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“孩子háizi，你nǐ今天jīntiān说shuō了le很hěn多duō‘你好níhǎo’。”

她tā告诉gàosù我wǒ：第一次dìyīcì见面jiànmiàn，说shuō“你好níhǎo”。早上zǎoshang见面jiànmiàn，说shuō“早zǎo”。在zài路上lùshang，可以kéyǐ问wèn“去qù哪儿nǎr”。走zǒu的de时候shíhou，说shuō“再见zàijiàn”。

第二天dì’èrtiān早上zǎoshang，我wǒ先xiān说shuō：“奶奶nǎinai，早zǎo！”

她tā很hěn高兴gāoxìng：“早zǎo！去qù哪儿nǎr啊a？”

“去qù学校xuéxiào！奶奶nǎinai再见zàijiàn！”

奶奶nǎinai也yě学xué我wǒ，大声dàshēng说shuō：“你好níhǎo！”

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
来láito come
中国zhōngguóChina
中文zhōngwénChinese (language)
你好níhǎohello; hi
早上zǎoshangmorning
看见kànjiànto see; to catch sight of
说shuōto speak; to say
中午zhōngwǔnoon; midday
问wènto ask
去qùto go
晚上wǎnshangevening; night
孩子háizichild; kid

English (for the teacher)

I’ve just arrived in China. All the Chinese I have is one phrase: “Hello!”

In the morning, I see an old lady downstairs. I say, “Hello!” She smiles: “Morning!”

At noon, I see her again at the door. “Hello!” She asks, “Where are you off to?” I say, “Hello!”

In the evening, I see her again. “Hello!” The old lady laughs and says, “Child, you’ve said a lot of ‘hellos’ today.”

She tells me: when you meet someone for the first time, say “Hello”. When you meet in the morning, say “Morning”. On the street, you can ask “Where are you off to?” When you leave, say “Goodbye”.

The next morning, I speak first: “Morning, Grandma!”

She’s very happy: “Morning! Where are you off to?”

“To school! Bye, Grandma!”

Grandma copies me and calls out, “Hello!”