7 Ways to Say Goodbye in Mandarin Chinese + BONUS

Mandarin Chinese is a fascinating and increasingly important language in the world. If you want to learn it or improve your level, one of the things you should know is how to say goodbye correctly in different situations. In this article, we'll teach you 7 ways to say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese and how to pronounce them correctly. In addition, we will explain the meaning and context of each of them. This way, you will be able to communicate fluently and courteously with native speakers of this language.

Before you say goodbye in Chinese you have to learn pinyin

Before we get started, we want to tell you about pinyin, a phonetic transcription system used to represent the sounds of Mandarin Chinese with the Latin alphabet. Pinyin is very useful for Chinese learners as it helps them learn the correct pronunciation of words and phrases.

If you want to know more about how to pronounce pinyin correctly, we recommend that you read our article how to pronounce pinyin, where you will find examples, tips and exercises to improve your pronunciation.

Now that you know what pinyin is and how to use it, let's see the 7 ways to say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese that we have prepared for you. Remember that each of them has its own tone and context, so pay attention to the explanations and examples we give you.

1. 再见 (zài jiàn)

This is the most basic and common way to say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese. It can be used in almost any situation, both formal and informal, and with anyone, both known and unknown. Its literal meaning is "to see again", which implies that one hopes to meet the other person again. It is pronounced with the fourth tone in both syllables, that is, with a sudden drop in the voice.

Example:

• A: 好,我要走了,再见。 (Hǎo, wǒ yào zǒu le, zài jiàn.) = Well, I have to go, goodbye.
• B: 再见,下次见。 (Zài jiàn, xià cì jiàn.) = Goodbye, until next time.

2. 拜拜 (bái bái)

This is a very informal and colloquial way of saying goodbye, which comes from the English "bye bye". It is used only with friends, family or close people, and never in formal or professional situations. It is pronounced with the second tone in both syllables, that is, with a rise in the voice.

Example:

• A: 我们明天再聊吧,拜拜。 (Wǒmen míngtiān zài liáo ba, bái bái.) = Let's talk tomorrow, bye bye.
• B: 好的,拜拜,晚安。 (Hǎo de, bái bái, wǎn ān.) = Okay, bye bye, good night.

3. 一会儿见 (yí huì (e)r jiàn)

This is a way of saying goodbye when you expect to see the other person again in a short time, such as in a few hours or the next day. Its literal meaning is "to see in a while", and it is used in both formal and informal situations. It is pronounced with the second tone on the first syllable, the fourth tone on the second syllable, and the fourth tone on the last syllable. The third syllable, which is a particle indicating a small amount, can be omitted or pronounced with the neutral sound.

Example:

• A: 好了，我要去开会了，一会儿见。 (Hǎo le, wǒ yào qù kāi huì le, yí huì (e)r jiàn.) = Well, I'm going to the meeting, see you in a while.
• B: 好的,一会儿见,祝你好运。 (Hǎo de, yí huì (e)r jiàn, zhù nǐ hǎo yùn.) = Okay, see you in a while, I wish you good luck.

4. 下次见 (xià cì jiàn)

This is a way of saying goodbye when you expect to see the other person again in the more or less near future, but without specifying when. Its literal meaning is "to see next time," and it is used in both formal and informal situations. It is pronounced with the fourth tone on the first syllable, the fourth tone on the second syllable, and the fourth tone on the last syllable.

Example:

• A: 我今天要回国了,下次见。 (Wǒ jīntiān yào huí guó le, xià cì jiàn.) = Today I'm going to my country, until next time.
• B: 下次见,一路平安。 (Xià cì jiàn, yí lù píng ān.) = Until next time, have a good trip.

5. 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn)

This is a way of saying goodbye when you expect to see the other person again soon, but without knowing exactly when. Its literal meaning is "to see when turning one's head", and it is used only in informal situations and with people you know. It is pronounced with the second tone on the first syllable, the second tone on the second syllable, and the fourth tone on the last syllable.

Example:

• A: 我去超市买点东西，回头见。 (Wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi diǎn dōngxi, huí tóu jiàn.) = I go to the supermarket to buy something, see you later.
• B: 好的，回头见，别忘了买牛奶。 (Hǎo de, huí tóu jiàn, bié wàng le mǎi niúnǎi.) = Okay, see you later, don't forget to buy milk.

6. 慢走 (màn zǒu)

This is a way of saying goodbye when you want to express courtesy and respect towards the other person, and you wish them to have a good road or a good trip. Its literal meaning is "to walk slowly", and it is used in both formal and informal situations, but especially when saying goodbye to someone who is leaving a place. It is pronounced with the fourth tone on the first syllable, and the third tone on the second syllable.

Example:

• A: 谢谢你的招待，我先走了，慢走。 (Xièxiè nǐ de zhāodài, wǒ xiān zǒu le, màn zǒu.) = Thank you for your hospitality, I'm leaving first, take care.
• B: 不客气，慢走，欢迎下次再来。 (Bú kèqì, màn zǒu, huānyíng xià cì zài lái.) = You're welcome, take care, welcome next time.

7. 告别 (gào bié)

This is a way of saying goodbye when you know that you will not see the other person again, or that it will take a long time to do so. Its literal meaning is "to say goodbye," and it is used only in very formal or solemn situations, such as when saying goodbye to someone who is going to another country for a long time, or when saying goodbye to someone who has passed away. It is pronounced with the fourth tone on the first syllable, and the second tone on the second syllable.

Example:

• A: 我很高兴能和你一起学习中文，但是我明天就要回美国了，我们可能再也见不到了，告别。 (Wǒ hěn gāoxìng néng hé nǐ yìqǐ xuéxí zhōngwén, dànshì wǒ míngtiān jiù yào huí měiguó le, wǒmen kěnéng zài yě jiàn bù dào le, gào bié.) = I'm so glad I was able to study Chinese with you, but tomorrow I'm going to the United States, and maybe we won't see each other again, goodbye.
• B: 我也很高兴能认识你，你是我最好的朋友，我会想你的，告别。 (Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng néng rènshì nǐ, nǐ shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyǒu, wǒ huì xiǎng nǐ de, gào bié.) = I'm glad I met you too, you're my best friend, I'll miss you, goodbye.

BONUS

Here is a bonus of other words or phrases that you can use to say goodbye in Chinese.

8. 保重 (bǎozhòng)

This is a way of saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese that expresses concern or care for the other person. It is used when saying goodbye to someone who is sick, who is going to travel or who is going to face a difficult situation. It means "to take care of yourself" or "to be well", and is pronounced with the descending-ascending tone on the first syllable and the descending tone on the second.

Example:

• A: 我明天要去医院做手术。 (Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yīyuàn zuò shǒushù.) - Tomorrow I have to go to the hospital to have an operation.
• B: 祝你手术成功。 保重。 (Zhù nǐ shǒushù chénggōng. Bǎozhòng.) - I wish you a good operation. Take care.

9. 一路平安 (yílù píng'ān)

This is a way of saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese that is used when saying goodbye to someone who is going on a trip. It means "have a good trip" or "be careful," and is pronounced with the rising tone on the first syllable, the descending tone on the second, and the flat tone on the last two.

Example:

• A: 我要去美国留学了。 (Wǒ yào qù Měiguó liúxué le.) - I'm going to study in the United States.
• B: 祝你学习顺利。 一路平安。 (Zhù nǐ xuéxí shùnlì. Yílù píng'ān.) - I wish you to study well. Have a good trip.

10. 再会 (zàihuì)

This is a form of saying goodbye in Mandarin Chinese that is used in formal or ceremonious situations. It means "to meet again" or "see you soon", and is pronounced with the descending-ascending tone on the first syllable and the descending tone on the second.

Example:

• A: 非常感谢您的合作。 (Fēicháng gǎnxiè nín de hézuò.) - Thank you very much for your collaboration.
• B: 不客气。 再会。 (Bù kèqì. Zàihuì.) -You are welcome. See you later.

Did you know the examples above? Leave us your comments.

Conclusion

As you've seen, there are many ways to say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese, and each one has its own meaning and use. Learning these expressions will help you communicate better with Mandarin Chinese speakers and show respect and politeness.

If you want to learn more about Mandarin Chinese, we invite you to visit Hanyu Chinese School, an online school specialized in teaching this language. At Hanyu Chinese School you can discover our virtual campus, our podcasts, and also take free classes and paid classes with highly qualified teachers.

Hanyu Chinese School's paid classes have many benefits, such as:

1. Personalized classes according to your level and goals
2. Flexible schedules adapted to your availability
3. Interactive and quality teaching material
4. Constant monitoring and feedback on your progress
5. Official certificate at the end of the course

Don't hesitate any longer and start learning Mandarin Chinese today with Hanyu Chinese School.

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