What Does “Ni men hao” Mean?
“Nǐmen hǎo (你们好)” literally means “Hello, you (plural)” in Chinese.
- Nǐ (你): you (singular)
- Men (们): plural marker → makes “nǐ” into “nǐmen” (you all)
- Hǎo (好): good / hello
See also:
How to Pronounce “Ni men hao”?
“Ni men hao” is pronounced as:
- Pinyin: Nǐmen hǎo
- Tones:
- Nǐ (你) – 3rd tone, falling-rising
- men (们) – neutral tone
- hǎo (好) – 3rd tone, falling-rising
Audio tip: Both “nǐ” and “hǎo” use the 3rd tone, so when spoken together, native speakers often lighten the first 3rd tone into a low tone for smoother flow: nǐ → ní.
When & When not to Use “Ni men hao”
Just like in English, If you want to learn Chinese, you need to know common greetings. “Nǐmen hǎo” works in certain situations but may sound unusual or too formal in others.
When to Use
- Greeting a small group of people: e.g., classmates, friends, colleagues.
- Example: Nǐmen hǎo, xiǎo péngyǒumen! (Hello, kids!)
- Teachers greeting students: often used in classrooms in China.
- Polite but neutral group address: like “Hello everyone” at the start of a meeting.
When not to Use
- To greet one person: You should just say “Nǐ hǎo” (你好) instead.
- To greet a large audience or crowd: More natural to use “Dàjiā hǎo” (大家好) = Hello everyone.
- In very casual situations: Among close friends, just saying “Hi” or “Hēi” (嘿) is more natural.
Read more:
Alternatives to “Nǐmen hǎo”
Chinese has different greetings depending on the situation. Here are common alternatives:
| Expression | Pinyin | Meaning | When to use |
| 你好 | Nǐ hǎo | Hello (to one person) | Formal or neutral greeting |
| 大家好 | Dàjiā hǎo | Hello everyone | Addressing a group, presentation |
| 嗨 | Hāi / Hēi | Hi | Informal, casual |
| 早上好 | Zǎoshang hǎo | Good morning | Morning greeting |
| 下午好 | Xiàwǔ hǎo | Good afternoon | Afternoon greeting |
Compare “Nǐmen hǎo” with “Dàjiā hǎo”
- Nǐmen hǎo (你们好): Hello, you all (plural “you”) → Used for smaller groups you are familiar with.
- Dàjiā hǎo (大家好): Hello everyone → More natural in speeches, classes, or when addressing a large audience.
Rule of thumb:
- Talking to a group of friends/classmates → “Nǐmen hǎo.”
- Talking to a big crowd or audience → “Dàjiā hǎo.”
“Nǐmen hǎo (你们好)” is the standard way to say “Hello, you all” in Chinese. It’s polite and useful in classrooms or when greeting small groups, but not commonly used for large audiences. In those cases, “Dàjiā hǎo” is more natural.
