好久不见
hǎojiǔ bújiàn
Long time no see · trad. 好久不見
好久不见 (Hǎojiǔ bújiàn) is a common phrase used to greet someone you haven't seen in a long time. It directly translates to "long time no see," and the English phrase is actually a direct loan from this Chinese expression.
What does 好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bújiàn) mean?
好久不见 (hǎojiǔ bújiàn) means “long time no see” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “good long not see.”
When to use it
Neutral and friendly. It's appropriate for friends, family, and acquaintances you haven't encountered recently. For a more formal or respectful greeting after a long absence, you might add a polite address.
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “HOW-jyo BOO-jyen.” The first syllable has a falling-rising tone, the second a rising tone, and the third and fourth are falling tones.
Other ways to say it
- 好久没见hǎojiǔ méi jiànlong time haven't seen
- 很久没见了hěnjiǔ méi jiànlehaven't seen for a very long time
- 最近怎么样？zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?How have you been recently?
Examples
好久不见，你最近好吗？
hǎojiǔ bújiàn, nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma?
Long time no see, how have you been recently?
我们好久不见了，找个时间一起吃饭吧！
wǒmen hǎojiǔ bújiànle, zhǎo ge shíjiān yìqǐ chīfàn ba!
We haven't seen each other in ages, let's find a time to eat together!
一转眼，我们都好久不见了。
yī zhuǎnyǎn, wǒmen dōu hǎojiǔ bújiànle.
In a blink of an eye, we haven't seen each other for a long time.
Pro tip: While "好久不见" is a direct translation of "long time no see," remember to use it when genuinely greeting someone after a significant period, not just a few days.
Related phrases
一会儿见 · See you in a bit你好 · Hello你好吗 · How are you
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