嘿
hēi
Hey
嘿 (hēi) is a casual interjection in Mandarin Chinese, similar to “hey” in English. It’s primarily used to get someone’s attention or to express mild surprise.
When to use it
Very casual. Use it among close friends, family, or people you know well. It’s not appropriate for formal situations or when addressing strangers or superiors. For a general “hello,” use 你好 (nǐ hǎo). For getting attention from a distance or on the phone, 喂 (wèi) is more common.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “HAY” (as in hay bale). It’s a sharp, falling (fourth) tone.
Other ways to say it
- 嗨hēihi / hey (casual greeting)
- 喂wèihey (to get attention, on phone)
- 哎āihey / oh (interjection for attention or surprise)
Examples
嘿，你在干什么呢？
hēi ， nǐ zài gàn shén me ne ？
Hey, what are you doing?
嘿，看这边！
hēi ， kàn zhè biān ！
Hey, look over here!
嘿，好久不见！
hēi ， hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn ！
Hey, long time no see!
Pro tip: While both 嘿 (hēi) and 嗨 (hāi) can translate to “hey/hi,” 嘿 is more often used to grab someone’s attention or express a slight surprise, whereas 嗨 is a more straightforward casual greeting.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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