How to say Good Morning and Good Evening in Chinese

早(zǎo)”, “早安 (zǎo an)” and “早上好 (zǎo shang hǎo)” all mean “Good Morning” in Mandarin Chinese. Just like in English, it is common to greet people by saying “good morning”, “good afternoon” or “good evening”, when you first saw them or speak to them in a day. It is considered essential to greet people in Chinese culture, especially in workplaces. Knowing how to say “good morning”, “good afternoon” or “good evening” is important in formal events such as business gatherings.

In this article, we are going to introduce you to a variety of ways to say “good morning”, “good afternoon” or “good evening”, how they are different from each other, and some other cultural phrases to describe different times in a day. If you are interested, you might also want to know how to say hello in Chinese and goodbye in Chinese! So don’t forget to check out other articles about Chinese expressions and start learning Chinese today!

How to Say Good Morning in Chinese

Source: Supfree.net

Zǎo(早)

Zǎo ān (早安)

Zǎoshang Hǎo (早上好)

These three expressions all mean “Good morning” in Mandarin. The first expression “ Zǎo (早)” is more casual and is more used to say to your friends, colleagues, or classmates.

早安 (zǎo ān )” and “早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo)” are both formal ways to say “Good morning”. The main difference between them is that “Zǎo ān” is most used in Taiwan and “早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo)” is more used in China. Not only are these expressions often used in daily life, for instance, when you go to school or work, but they are also used in formal occasions such as news and the host of formal events.

How to Say Good Afternoon/Evening in Chinese

Source: Supfree.net

Wǔ ān (午安)

Xiàwǔ hǎo (下午好)

Just like “good morning” in Chinese, “ Wǔ ān (午安) ” is most used in Taiwan, and “ Xiàwǔ hǎo (下午好)” is more used in China.

In Chinese, there is no commonly used phrase for “good evening”, thus “ Wǔ ān (午安)” and “ Xiàwǔ hǎo (下午好)” can be used from afternoon to early evening.

How to Say Good Night in Chinese

Source: Supfree.net

Wǎnshàng hǎo (晚上好)

In China, if you are meeting a person in the late evening, you can greet them with this phrase. For casual occasions, you can simply just say “Hi”!

Wǎn’ān (晚安)

Wǎn’ān (晚安) is used to say “good night” before going to sleep. So, if you meet your friend in the late evening, don’t use this phrase or it would sound awkward in China. However, some people will use this greeting to mean “Good evening” in Taiwan.

It can be also used when you are saying goodbye late. For example, when you are leaving a party after dinner or late in the night, you can also say “ Wǎn’ān (晚安)” to wish them a good night’s rest.

Other Useful Chinese Greetings

Source: Pexel

Hello – Nǐ hǎo (你好)

Nǐ hǎo (你好) is a more widely-known expression to say hello, and it is useful on most occasions.

There are still many ways to say hello in Chinese, so don’t forget to check out other articles and learn more!

Thank you – Xièxiè (谢谢/謝謝)

Xièxiè (谢谢) is the more common way to say “thank you” in Chinese. It can be used on both casual and formal occasions.

You’re welcome – Bù kèqì (不客气/ 不客氣)

It is a formal way to respond when a person says “thank you” to you. For more casual occasions, you can use “ Bùyòng xiè (不用谢)”, which means “you don’t have to thank me for it” or “no problem”.

My name is… – Wǒ de míngzì shì…(我的名字是… )

If you are introducing yourself to a crowd, this is a formal way to emphasize your name. You can also use this expression when you first meet a person. To sound more natural, You can also say “ Wǒ jiào…(我叫…)”, which means “I am called…”

Sorry – Duìbùqǐ (对不起/對不起)

Unlike “sorry” in English, in Chinese culture, “ Duìbùqǐ (对不起)“ is only used when there is something serious to apologize about.

Excuse me – Bù hǎoyìsi (不好意思)

Bù hǎoyìsi (不好意思)” is more often used in daily life than “ Duìbùqǐ (对不起)”. Not only can you use it when you try to get attention from other people, but also you can use it to apologize for some minor mistakes, for example, when you bump into someone.

Due to western cultural influence, nowadays, “Hi”, “Hello” and “bye-bye” are also commonly used as greeting in Chinese society. So, if you are not familiar with those expressions, don’t be shy to say “Hi” to your Chinese friends!

Cultural Expressions in Chinese

Source:Pixabay

In this part, we are going to introduce some idioms for describing the day. These expressions are not often used in daily life, but they might appear in articles, especially in novels.

Morning

  • The early birds get the worms – Zǎoqǐ de niǎo er yǒu chóng chī (早起的鸟儿有虫吃/ 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃)

Interestingly, this is the same as in English, encouraging people to wake up early and have a productive morning.

  • The sun rises from the east in the morning. – Xùrì dōngshēng (旭日东升 /旭日東昇)

Dōng (東)” means “east.” This is used to describe a vibrant atmosphere, in which the sun rises brightly and shines.

  • The morning twilight – Chénguāng xīwéi(晨光熹微)

This expression is describing the beautiful twilight in the early morning, usually describing a quiet and peaceful vibe. The character “wéi (微)“ has the meaning of “slightly”.

  • The early morning sun and the dew – Chénxī chū lù(晨曦初露)

Describing the morning sun has just emerged, and the leaves are filled with dew in the morning, which gives the image of hope.

Noon / Afternoon

All three expressions below describe very hot weather with the burning sun in the sky.

  • The sun was shining, burning like fire. – Chì rì yányán(赤日炎炎)

The “ Yán (炎)” character means “fire”, thus this expression is used to indicate extremely hot weather, usually around noon.

  • The scorching sun in summer – Huǒ Sǎn Gāo Zhǎng(火伞高张/ 火傘高張)

“Sǎn(伞)” means “umbrella”, the expression means that the weather feels like a fire umbrella, which is indicating burning hot weather with scorching sun.

  • The hot sun hangs high in the sky. – Liè Rì Dāng Kōng(烈日当空/ 烈日當空)

“Liè(烈)” means strong, thus the expression is picturing a scorching sun hanging in the sky.

Night

  • Only accompanied by the breeze and the bright moon. – Míngyuè qīngfēng (明月清风/ 明月清風)

The analogy is not to make friends casually and to make friends properly. It is also a metaphor for having some nice leisure time.

  • A beautiful and peaceful night. – Yèwǎn jìngmì(夜晚静谧 /夜晚靜謐)

jìngmì (静谧)” means “quiet and peaceful”, so when you see this expression, it is usually indicating a peaceful and soothing vibe.

  • A moonless, windy night. – Yè hēi fēng gāo (夜黑风高 /夜黑風高)

“Yuè(月)” means “the moon.” In Chinese, this phrase is sometimes used to describe a night with a creepy vibe.

Now you know how to greet people at any time of the day!

Source: Unsplash

In this article, we have introduced some ways to say “good morning” in Chinese, plus “good afternoon” and “good night”, and also some other useful and basic expressions to use when you want to greet someone.

In Chinese culture, it is very important for you to be polite and respectful to others, thus learning how to greet people is essential for your Chinese learning journey. You’ve already known how to say “Good morning” in Chinese. Just like in English, there are many other ways to say “hi” to other people.

Don’t hesitate to check out other articles about traditional Chinese characters and yes in Chinese and sign up for AmazingTalker to learn more about the Chinese language and culture!

Discover the answers to your language-related questions on AmazingTalker’s Q&A page

About AmazingTalker

About AmazingTalker

AmazingTalker offers professional online language tutors and teachers from around the world. We offer personalized one-on-one online tutoring that can help you master Korean more quickly and know your needs more clearly. flexible schedules with no joining fee. It’s a great way to start your Korean learning more systematically with a low budget.

Check now

Related Articles