问好
wèn hǎo
Greet · trad. 問好
问好 is a common verb meaning "to greet" or "to say hello" to someone. It describes the action of exchanging pleasantries or acknowledging someone's presence, often verbally.
When to use it
Neutral. It's a general term for the act of greeting. While 问好 is the verb, the actual greetings you say are often phrases like 你好 (hello), 早上好 (good morning), or 晚上好 (good evening).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "wun-HOW." The first character 问 is a falling tone, and the second character 好 is a third tone.
Other ways to say it
- 打招呼dǎ zhāo hūto say hello; to greet (often more active, can include waving)
- 问候wèn hòuto greet; to send regards (can be more formal or imply concern)
- 致意zhì yìto extend greetings; to pay respects (very formal)
Examples
他见到我都会问好。
tā jiàn dào wǒ dōu huì wèn hǎo 。
He always greets me when he sees me.
请代我向你父母问好。
qǐng dài wǒ xiàng nǐ fù mǔ wèn hǎo 。
Please say hello to your parents for me.
我们应该主动向新同事问好。
wǒ men yīng gāi zhǔ dòng xiàng xīn tóng shì wèn hǎo 。
We should take the initiative to greet new colleagues.
Pro tip: While 问好 is the action of greeting, you wouldn't typically say "问好!" as a greeting itself. Instead, you'd use specific greetings like "你好!" or "早上好!". 问好 is more about *doing* the greeting.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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