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Day 2

Greetings & Polite Expressions

Start conversations in Mandarin: say hello, ask “How are you?”, use polite words, and say goodbye.

Basic Greetings (Informal & Formal)

Chinese (汉字)PinyinEnglish
你好Nǐ hǎoHello (informal)
您好Nín hǎoHello (polite/formal, to elders/bosses)
大家好Dàjiā hǎoHello everyone
嘿HēiHey (informal)

Time‑Based Greetings

ChinesePinyinEnglish
早上好Zǎoshang hǎoGood morning
下午好Xiàwǔ hǎoGood afternoon
晚上好Wǎnshàng hǎoGood evening
晚安Wǎn'ānGood night (when parting/sleeping)

How Are You? & Responses

ChinesePinyinEnglish
你好吗？Nǐ hǎo ma?How are you? (standard)
你怎么样？Nǐ zěnmeyàng?How are you doing? (more casual)
我很好，谢谢。Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie.I’m fine, thank you.
还不错Hái bùcuòPretty good
马马虎虎MǎmǎhūhūSo-so
不太好Bù tài hǎoNot too good

Polite Expressions & Courtesy Words

  • 谢谢 (Xièxie) – Thank you
  • 不客气 (Bú kèqi) – You’re welcome
  • 对不起 (Duìbuqǐ) – Sorry
  • 没关系 (Méiguānxi) – It’s okay / No problem
  • 请 (Qǐng) – Please
  • 请问 (Qǐng wèn) – Excuse me / May I ask…
  • 再见 (Zàijiàn) – Goodbye (standard)
  • 拜拜 (Bāibāi) – Bye-bye (informal)
  • 慢走 (Màn zǒu) – Take care (lit. walk slowly, said to departing person)
  • 慢用 (Màn yòng) – Enjoy your meal (said before eating)

Practice Dialogue

Lǐ Huá: 早上好！你好吗？ (Zǎoshang hǎo! Nǐ hǎo ma?)

Wáng Lì: 我很好，谢谢！你呢？ (Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie! Nǐ ne?)

Lǐ Huá: 我也很好。你认识我的朋友张伟吗？ (Wǒ yě hěn hǎo. Nǐ rènshi wǒ de péngyou Zhāng Wěi ma?)

Wáng Lì: 不认识。你好，张伟！很高兴认识你。(Bú rènshi. Nǐ hǎo, Zhāng Wěi! Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.)

Zhāng Wěi: 你好！我也很高兴认识你。 (Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.)

Lǐ Huá: 我们要去吃饭。慢用！再见！ (Wǒmen yào qù chīfàn. Màn yòng! Zàijiàn!)

💡 Note: “很高兴认识你” (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) = Nice to meet you.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct Chinese greeting/expression (pinyin is acceptable):

  1. In the morning you say ___________ .
  2. “Thank you” in Chinese is ___________ .
  3. To say “How are you?” you say ___________ .
  4. When you want to apologize, you say ___________ .
  5. The most common way to say “Goodbye” is ___________ .
Show answers

1. 早上好 (Zǎoshang hǎo)
2. 谢谢 (Xièxie)
3. 你好吗？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?) or 你怎么样？ (Nǐ zěnmeyàng?)
4. 对不起 (Duìbuqǐ)
5. 再见 (Zàijiàn)

Cultural note: In Chinese culture, greeting elders first shows respect. When meeting for the first time, a slight nod or handshake is common. Unlike Western cultures, Chinese people may not always say “I love you” casually; politeness is shown through actions and phrases like “辛苦你了” (Thanks for your hard work). Also, asking “Have you eaten?” (你吃了吗？) is a common casual greeting, not an actual dinner invitation.
Learning tip: Practice with tone pairs: “Nǐ hǎo” (3-3) often sounds like “Ní hǎo” due to tone sandhi. Listen to native audio. Use mirror practice: look at yourself and say “Zǎoshang hǎo” with a smile – it builds muscle memory and confidence.
Continue to Day 3

آج کا سبق – خلاصہ

آج آپ نے چینی زبان میں سلام (نی ہاو، زاوشنگ ہاو)، "کیا حال ہے؟" پوچھنا اور جواب دینا، نیز شائستہ الفاظ (شیشیے، بدو چی، زائی جیئن) سیکھے۔ ڈائیلاگ کی مشق کریں اور ثقافتی نکات کو یاد رکھیں۔

کل ہم چینی اعداد 1 تا 10 اور بنیادی فقرات سیکھیں گے۔ مشق جاری رکھیں!

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