Some other ways to say when you meet other people. For example, hǎo is good, and bù hǎo is not good. 我不好。Unless the person who we are talking to is someone we know so well. 我不好。(Wǒ means I bù means not hǎo means good) 我还行。(Wǒ means I hái means still xíng means OK or all right) 我还不错。(Wǒ means I hái means still bú is a negate word which means not cuò means bad or wrong) 我很好。(Wǒ means I hěn means very hǎo means good or well) When you add mā to a statement sentence, then the statement becomes a question right away.) Nǐ hǎo mā 你好吗? (mā is a question particle. Nǐ hǎo 你好。(Nǐ means you hǎo means good or well) You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
#Ni hao ma how to
How to say the greetings and how to answer them:Īudio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. When a Chinese person meets someone they already know or they never met before, they usually will the followings. General greetings for any time of the day. Chinese people think head is a sacred part of body, and should not be randomly touched - especially the top of the head.ġ. However, don’t ever pat people’s head, especially adults’. Fondness for little children can be shown by patting slightly on the shoulder or cheek. If after you met the person for a while, and you had good time of chatting, you can show your affection for the person by patting gently on the shoulder before saying goodbye. Imagine the times that you were taking the school photo, yes, that kind of smile will do:) Also, don’t forget about the most important and most effective one - smile friendly, no giggling or chuckles but serene smiles. Taking a slight bow to show respect is also frequently used when you are meeting a person that is older than you or with a high position than you do. So, prepare to have a firm and a bit longer handshake to show your excitement and politeness of meeting someone for the first time. People usually shake and hold the hands for a longer time than most Americans are used to. If you stretch out your hand for a handshake, then they will do the same. However, for some people who are a bit shy, they might just smile at you first. In Chinese world, when two people meet for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting.