你好，朋友
nǐhǎo, péngyou
Hello my friend
你好，朋友 (nǐhǎo, péngyou) is a friendly and common way to greet a friend in Mandarin Chinese. It's suitable for most casual to semi-formal interactions with people you consider friends.
What does 你好，朋友 (nǐhǎo, péngyou) mean?
你好，朋友 (nǐhǎo, péngyou) means “hello my friend” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “friend you good.”
When to use it
Friendly and warm. For a more direct translation of "hello, my friend," you can say 你好，我的朋友 (nǐ hǎo, wǒ de péngyou), though 你好，朋友 is often more natural. Among very close friends, a simple 嗨 (hāi, "hi") or just 你好 (nǐ hǎo) is also common.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "PÉNG-yoh nee-HOW." Remember the tone change for 你好: the first 你 shifts to a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 嗨，朋友hāi, péngyouhi, friend (casual)
- 你好nǐ hǎohello (often sufficient among friends)
Examples
你好，朋友，好久不见！
nǐhǎo, péngyou, hǎojiǔbújiàn!
Hello friend, long time no see!
你好，朋友，欢迎来我家！
nǐhǎo, péngyou, huānyíng lái wǒjiā!
Hello, my friend, welcome to my home!
嗨，朋友，最近怎么样？
hāi, péngyou, zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
Hi, friend, how have you been lately?
Pro tip: While "你好，我的朋友" is a direct translation, "你好，朋友" or simply "你好" (if the context is clear you're speaking to a friend) are often more natural and common in everyday conversation.
Related phrases
你没事吧 · Are you ok四 · Four永远的朋友 · Friends forever
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