NetChai Chinese

How to Say “Good luck” in Chinese

祝你好运
zhù nǐ hǎo yùn
Good luck · trad. 祝你好運
A friend offers a reassuring pat on the shoulder before an important test, illustrating “good luck” in Chinese: 祝你好运 (zhù nǐ hǎo yùn)

祝你好运 (zhù nǐ hǎo yùn) is the standard way to say "good luck" in Mandarin Chinese. It's a direct wish for someone to have good fortune, often used when they are about to face a challenge, an exam, an interview, or a new endeavor.

What does 祝你好运 (zhù nǐ hǎo yùn) mean?

祝你好运 (zhù nǐ hǎo yùn) means “good luck” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “wish you good luck.”

When to use it

Neutral and polite. For a more general encouragement, especially before a competition or a difficult task, 加油 (jiāyóu) is very common and means "go for it" or "come on!" To wish someone success, you can say 祝你成功 (zhù nǐ chénggōng).

How to pronounce it

Sounds like "ZHOO nee HOW yoon." The first syllable of 好 (hǎo) is a third tone, but when followed by another third tone (运, yùn), it often changes to a rising tone, so it's often pronounced "zhù nǐ HÁO yùn."

Other ways to say it

  • 加油jiāyóugo for it / come on (encouragement)
  • 祝你成功zhù nǐ chénggōngwish you success
  • 好运hǎo yùngood luck (often used as a noun or in shorter wishes)

Examples

祝你好运!考试顺利!
zhù nǐ hǎo yùn! kǎoshì shùnlì!
Good luck! Hope the exam goes smoothly!
明天面试,祝你好运!
míngtiān miànshì, zhù nǐ hǎo yùn!
Interview tomorrow, good luck!
祝你一切顺利,好运!
zhù nǐ yīqiè shùnlì, hǎo yùn!
Wish you all the best, good luck!
Pro tip: While 祝你好运 is a direct wish for good fortune, 加油 is more about cheering someone on or giving them encouragement to exert effort. Choose 加油 when you want to motivate someone to keep going or try their best.

Related phrases

恭喜 · Congratulations祝福你 · Bless you生日快乐 · Happy birthday
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