How To Say Goodbye In Chinese - Culture Yard

As sad as it is to see friends leave, the day comes when we must bid a tearful "farewell" to those we knew... Or they might just be going to work, and you'll see them in a few hours, at which time you can continue binge-watching Netflix together. Whatever the case, it is helpful to know how to say goodbye in Chinese:

1. 再见 Zàijiàn Goodbye

. Literally meaning "see you again", 再见 is appropriate for all occasions. However, among the younger generation this is considered a bit formal. . If you want to be specific about when you will see the person again, you can replace "再" with a time. For example: . 明天见。 Míngtiān jiàn See you tomorrow. . 下周见。 Xià zhōu jiàn See you next week.

2. 慢走 Màn zǒu Take care

. This phrase is used by the host/hostess at the guest's departure. (You may have heard this in restaurants or stores.) 慢走 literally means "walk slowly".

3. 保重 Bǎozhòng Take care of yourself

. This expresses concern for someone's health and wellbeing. 保重 was originally part of a longer phrase in a Taoist text, though in modern Chinese it was shortened to just two characters.

4. 拜拜 Bàibài Bye-bye!

. 拜拜 comes from English and is very popular among the younger generation (but you will probably hear people of all ages using it). . As you might guess, 拜拜 is a very informal way to say goodbye.

5. 下次再会 Xiàcì zàihuì See you next time!

. Let's break this down.下次 means "next time" and 再 means "again". 会 is short for 会面, which means "to meet". . We have heard this broadcast on high-speed trains as we get off. Keep your ears peeled next time you take a train and see if you can pick it out!

6. 回头见 Huítóu jiàn See you soon

. 回头 literally means "to turn one's head", though colloquially it means "later". . This is also a casual way to say goodbye. Although you might not know exactly when, you will see each other around.