Chinese for Beginners: Informal Greetings for Friends and Peers
Learn relaxed Mandarin greetings like 嗨, 最近怎么样？, and 早 to use with friends and peers at different times of day. Includes pinyin and tone tips.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In Mandarin, the greeting you choose depends heavily on who you are talking to and when. With friends, classmates, or people your own age, you can drop the formal 您好 (nín hǎo) and use short, casual expressions. This lesson teaches five common informal greetings, how they change by time of day, and how to respond naturally. You will also learn a simple pattern for asking how someone has been, plus one common mistake to avoid. All examples use simplified Chinese and pinyin with tone marks.
By the end, you can…
- greet a friend informally in Mandarin at different times of day.
- ask and answer 'How have you been?' in a relaxed way.
- choose between formal and informal greetings based on the person.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
嗨
Hi / Hey
hāi (first tone)
Very casual, borrowed from English. Use with close friends or peers. Fine in text messages and spoken chat.
早
Morning
zǎo (third tone)
Short for 早上好 (zǎo shang hǎo). Common among classmates and coworkers in the morning. Friendly but not overly formal.
最近怎么样？
How have you been lately? / What's up?
zuì jìn zěn me yàng? (zuì: fourth tone; jìn: fourth tone; zěn: third tone; me: neutral; yàng: fourth tone)
A relaxed way to ask how someone is doing. Works any time of day. Often shortened to 怎么样？ (zěn me yàng?) with close friends.
好久不见！
Long time no see!
hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn! (hǎo: third tone; jiǔ: third tone; bú: second tone (bù before fourth tone); jiàn: fourth tone)
Use when you have not seen someone for a while. Warm and informal. The 不 (bù) changes to bú before a fourth-tone syllable.
吃了吗？
Have you eaten? (as a greeting)
chī le ma? (chī: first tone; le: neutral; ma: neutral)
A traditional casual greeting, especially among older friends or in northern China. It is not a real invitation to a meal. With close peers, it can sound friendly or slightly old-fashioned.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask how someone has been, use 最近怎么样？ (zuì jìn zěn me yàng?). 最近 means 'lately', and 怎么样 means 'how is it / how about it'. You can also say 你最近怎么样？ (nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng?) adding 你 (nǐ, 'you'). With close friends, shorten it to 怎么样？ (zěn me yàng?). To answer, use 还行 (hái xíng, 'not bad'), 挺好的 (tǐng hǎo de, 'pretty good'), or 忙死了 (máng sǐ le, 'super busy'). Example: A: 最近怎么样？ B: 还行，你呢？ (nǐ ne?, 'and you?').
When to use it
Use informal greetings with friends, classmates, siblings, and people your own age or younger. In the morning, 早 (zǎo) is perfect for a quick hello. In the afternoon or evening, 嗨 (hāi) or 最近怎么样？ (zuì jìn zěn me yàng?) work well. Avoid 嗨 and 吃了吗？ with teachers, bosses, or strangers; use 您好 (nín hǎo) instead. If you are unsure, 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is neutral and safe. Example: to a classmate at 2 p.m., say 嗨，最近怎么样？ (hāi, zuì jìn zěn me yàng?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
嗨！最近怎么样？
Hey! How have you been lately?hāi! zuì jìn zěn me yàng? (hāi: first tone; zuì: fourth tone; jìn: fourth tone; zěn: third tone; me: neutral; yàng: fourth tone)还行，你呢？
Not bad, and you?hái xíng, nǐ ne? (hái: second tone; xíng: second tone; nǐ: third tone; ne: neutral)挺忙的。明天有考试。
Pretty busy. I have an exam tomorrow.tǐng máng de. míng tiān yǒu kǎo shì. (tǐng: third tone; máng: second tone; de: neutral; míng: second tone; tiān: first tone; yǒu: third tone; kǎo: third tone; shì: fourth tone)加油！
Good luck! / You can do it!jiā yóu! (jiā: first tone; yóu: second tone)A little context goes a long way
Informal greetings in Mandarin often reflect closeness and shared context. 吃了吗？ (chī le ma?) is a traditional greeting that can sound warm among older friends but may feel odd between young people who prefer 嗨 or 最近怎么样？. In mainland China, 早 is common in the morning among neighbors and classmates. In Taiwan, 早安 (zǎo ān) is also common. When in doubt, match the other person's tone and use 你好 (nǐ hǎo) as a neutral fallback.
One thing to watch for
Using 嗨 (hāi) or 吃了吗？ (chī le ma?) with a teacher, boss, or stranger.
Try this instead: Use 您好 (nín hǎo) for formal situations, or 你好 (nǐ hǎo) as a neutral option. Example: to a teacher, say 老师，您好！ (lǎo shī, nín hǎo!). Save 嗨 for friends and peers.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1It is 8 a.m. and you see your classmate. What is a natural informal greeting?
Show a sample answer
早！
早 (zǎo) is a short, friendly morning greeting among peers. 早上好 (zǎo shang hǎo) is also correct but slightly more formal.
2Your friend asks 最近怎么样？ How can you answer 'not bad'?
Show a sample answer
还行。
还行 (hái xíng) means 'not bad' and is a common casual reply. 挺好的 (tǐng hǎo de) or 忙死了 (máng sǐ le) are also valid depending on your situation.
3You meet your boss in the afternoon. Should you say 嗨？ Why or why not?
Show a sample answer
No. Use 您好 (nín hǎo) instead.
嗨 is too casual for a boss. 您好 is the polite formal greeting. 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is neutral but still less formal than 您好.
With friends and peers, keep greetings short and relaxed: 嗨, 早, 最近怎么样？, 好久不见！, or 吃了吗？. Match the time of day and the person. When unsure, use 你好 (nǐ hǎo) as a safe neutral choice.
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