How to Say Goodbye in Chinese

The standard way to say goodbye in Chinese is 再见 (zàijiàn). It's made of 再 (zài, "again") and 见 (jiàn, "to see"), so it literally means "see you again" — appropriate for almost any situation, formal or casual. Among friends, the borrowed 拜拜 (bàibài), "bye-bye," is even more common in everyday speech and texting.

Ways to say goodbye

The "see you ___" pattern

One of the easiest things in Chinese: to say "see you [when]," just put a time word in front of 见 (jiàn, "see"). This gives you a whole family of farewells from one building block:

Formal vs. casual farewells

Match the phrase to the situation:

• 再见 (zàijiàn) — neutral and safe everywhere; slightly formal in tone.
• 拜拜 (bàibài) — casual and friendly; the default among friends and online.
• 保重 (bǎozhòng) — "take care," warm and sincere, for a longer parting.
• 慢走 (mànzǒu) — "mind how you go," a polite send-off a host says to a departing guest or a shop says to a customer.
• 后会有期 (hòuhuì yǒuqī) — literary "until we meet again," for a meaningful farewell.

Example sentences

A cultural note

When a guest leaves a Chinese home, the host almost always sees them to the door and says 慢走 (mànzǒu) or 慢点走 (màn diǎn zǒu). You're not expected to actually walk slowly — it's simply a caring way to say goodbye, and the guest often replies 留步 (liúbù), "please don't see me out."

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say goodbye in Chinese?

Say 再见 (zàijiàn), literally "see you again" — suitable for any situation.

How do you say bye casually?

Say 拜拜 (bàibài), borrowed from English "bye-bye" and very common among friends.

How do you say see you tomorrow?

Say 明天见 (míngtiān jiàn). Swap the time word for others: 回头见, 下次见, 一会儿见.

What does 慢走 mean?

慢走 (mànzǒu) is a polite send-off to a departing guest or customer, literally "walk slowly."