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.
Example sentences
你好，我叫 David。
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào David.
Hello, my name is David.
老师，你好。
Lǎoshī, nǐ hǎo.
Hello, teacher.
How to use 你好 in practice
你好 is a greetings item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin nǐ hǎo, then connect it to the meaning “hello” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 你好，我叫 David。 / 老师，你好。.
When you practice 你好, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 你好 only as “hello” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Chinese speaking practice, start a short conversation, and use 你好 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 你好 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only nǐ hǎo, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
Is 你好 formal or informal?
你好 is neutral and safe for beginners. In many real situations, people also use context-specific greetings.
How can I remember 你好 faster?
Say 你好 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 你好 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 你好 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach