{"id":1519,"date":"2021-10-25T11:14:41","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T03:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/?p=1519"},"modified":"2023-08-15T12:56:21","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T04:56:21","slug":"goodbye-in-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/goodbye-in-chinese\/","title":{"rendered":"Sign-off in Style: Saying ‘Goodbye’ in Chinese"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cHello\u201d, \u201cthank you\u201d, \u201cgoodbye\u201d, these are the most commonly used words in our daily life, and the first words we learn in any foreign language. We believe that you’ve already learned how to say \u201chello\u201d and \u201cgoodbye\u201d in Chinese, for example \u201c\u4f60\u597d\u201c\uff0c\u201c\u518d\u89c1\u201d. In fact, like \u201chello\u201d, there are also number of ways to say goodbye in Mandarin. Today, we are going to introduce 10 phrases that Chinese people use in daily conversation to say “goodbye”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1. \u518d\u89c1: z\u00e0iji\u00e0n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Good Bye \/ Bye now \/ See you, Farewell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u518d\u89c1\u201d is the most common and standard way to say goodbye in Chinese. It can be used with any person in all kinds of situations, doesn\u2019t matter if you think you would see or meet this person again or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. \u62dc\u62dc: b\u00e1i b\u00e1i<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bye Bye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word “Bye Bye” is very popular in Mainland China nowadays. Of course, it must be familiar to you because it sounds exactly like English. Obviously, it is a loanword from English. Sometimes people say a single word\u201c\u62dc\u201d (b\u00e0i), but most Chinese people usually say two words together. In written expression, because the Chinese word of “8” sounds so similar to the word of “bye”, people sometimes use “88” to indicate goodbye in text messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. \u56de\u89c1\/\u56de\u5934\u89c1: hu\u00ed ji\u00e0n \/ hu\u00ed t\u00f3u ji\u00e0n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 See you again \/ See you later<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Chinese, \u201c\u56de\u5934\u201d literally means to turn the head around. When it combined with \u201c\u89c1\u201d\uff0cthe term emphasizes you will see each other later again. For example, when we leave class, we say goodbye to our classmates because we will see them again soon, we can use the word “\u56de\u5934\u89c1”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. (Specific Time\/Date) +<\/strong>\u201c\u89c1\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we are certain about when we going to meet each other again, we can place the time or date at the beginning of the sentence before the word \u201c\u89c1\u201c. Just like English, we always say \u201csee you tomorrow\u201d, \u201csee you next week\u201d. The only difference is that in English, we put the time and date at the end, in Chinese, it is the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u660e\u5929\u89c1 (m\u00edng ti\u0101n ji\u00e0n) See you tomorrow<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5f85\u4f1a\u513f\u89c1 (d\u0101i hu\u00ec \u00e9r ji\u00e0n) see you in a little while<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e00\u4f1a\u513f\u89c1 (y\u012b hu\u00ec <\/em>\u00e9r ji\u00e0n<\/em>) See you soon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4e0b\u6b21\u89c1 (xi\u00e0 c\u00ec ji\u00e0n)  See you next time<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5468\u4e00\u89c1(zh\u014du y\u012b ji\u00e0n) see you on Monday<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u5341\u70b9\u89c1 (sh\u00ed di\u01cen ji\u00e0n) see you at 10:00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. \u6211\u5148\u544a\u8f9e\u4e86 : w\u01d2 xi\u0101n g\u00e0o c\u00ed le<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’d better be off<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This term is a polite and quite formal expression to say \u201cgood bye\u201d in Chinese. It is often used in a formal social setting when we must leave first. Or we would say it in a casual setting if there are many friends gathered and we must leave early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. \u6211\u8d70\u4e86\/\u6211\u64a4\u4e86:  w\u01d2 z\u01d2u le \/ w\u01d2 ch\u00e8 le<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am leaving\/ I am going \/ I\u2019m off<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u64a4\u201c means wit\u201c\u64a4\u201c means withdraw. \u201c\u6211\u64a4\u4e86\u201dmeans I am going or I\u2019m off. These two expressions are often used in casual settings, such as when we speak to close friends or family members. It is a very relax tone when we use this word to say bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example: \u4f60\u4eec\u518d\u73a9\u4f1a\u513f\uff0c\u6211\u64a4\u4e86 \uff08n\u01d0 men z\u00e0i w\u00e1n hu\u00ec \u00e9r, w\u01d2 ch\u00e8 le\uff09You guys have some fun. I’m going now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7. \u518d\u8054\u7cfb\/ \u4fdd\u6301\u8054\u7cfb: <\/em>z\u00e0i li\u00e1n x\u00ec \/ b\u01ceo ch\u00ed li\u00e1n x\u00ec<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s catch up later \/ Keep in touch \/ Let\u2019s stay in touch<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u4fdd\u6301\u201c means to keep, maintain and hold something. When it combines with the word \u201c\u8054\u7cfb\u201c\uff0cit means \u201ckeep in touch\u201d, \u201cstay in touch\u201d. \u201c\u518d\u8054\u7cfb\u201c and \u201c\u4fdd\u6301\u8054\u7cfb\u201d  are two polite ways to say bye in Chinese when we are not sure when we are going to contact each other again. It also shows our desire to stay in touch with others when we use this term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u4eca\u5929\u5f88\u9ad8\u5174\u89c1\u5230\u4f60\uff0c\u6211\u4eec\u518d\u8054\u7cfb\uff01(j\u012bn ti\u0101n h\u011bn g\u0101o x\u00ecng ji\u00e0n d\u00e0o n\u01d0, w\u01d2 men z\u00e0i li\u00e1n x\u00ec) Nice to see you today, let\u2019s keep in touch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • \"\"<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    8. \u518d\u4f1a: z\u00e0i hu\u00ec<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    See you again \/ meet you again<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the context, \u201c\u4f1a\u201cmeans \u201cmeet\u201d or \u201csee\u201d, so when it combines with \u201d\u518d\u201c\uff0cthe word means meet you again or see you again. The meaning of \u201c\u518d\u4f1a\u201d is similar to \u201c\u518d\u89c1\u201d , but it is not used very often. We can use this expression when speaking to people we just met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    9. \u5931\u966a: sh\u012b p\u00e9i<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Excuse me, but I must be leaving now\/ Excuse me for my absence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Literally, \u201c\u5931\u966a\u201cmeans I can no longer accompany you. This expression is similar to \u201c\u544a\u8f9e\u201c, it is a formal way to say bye in Chinese. When we are in a formal social setting, we can say \u201c\u5931\u966a\u201dif we must leave early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    10.\u6709\u7a7a\u518d\u804a<\/strong>: y\u01d2u k\u00f2ng z\u00e0i li\u00e1o <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Chat to you later \/ Speak to you later \/ Let\u2019s chat again<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The word \u201c\u6709\u7a7a\u518d\u804a\u201d literally means talk to you when we have time. It is often used in a informal setting. For example, when we are having a conversation with friends, classmates or colleagues, and about to say bye to them, we could use this expression to indicate we want to continue the conversation with them next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \"\"<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n