How to Say Goodbye in Chinese
Learn how to say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese. '再见' (Zàijiàn) means 'see you again.' Pronunciation guide, tone notes, and casual ways to say bye in Chinese.
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Quick answer
To say goodbye in Mandarin Chinese, say '再见' (Zàijiàn, dzai-jyen) — literally 'again see,' i.e. 'see you again.' It's the standard, polite goodbye. Casually, especially among young people, '拜拜' (Bàibài — bye bye, borrowed from English) is extremely common. Both syllables of Zàijiàn carry falling 4th tones.
再见
/dzai-jyen/ — Chinese
How to Say Goodbye in Chinese
Mandarin’s standard goodbye, Zàijiàn, carries a warm meaning — “see you again” — while a borrowed English phrase has become the casual favorite.
The Standard: Zàijiàn
再见 — Zàijiàn — pronounced dzai-jyen
- 再 (zài) = again
- 见 (jiàn) = to see / meet
So it literally means “see [you] again” — a warm, optimistic farewell, like “au revoir” or “Auf Wiedersehen.”
Copy the Phrase
The Chinese word for “goodbye” is 再见 (Zàijiàn, dzai-jyen).
The Tones
Both syllables carry the falling 4th tone:
- Zài — “dzai” (the pinyin ‘z’ is a “dz” sound; rhymes with “eye”), falling
- Jiàn — “jyen” (soft ‘j’ like “jeep”; “ian” = “yen”), falling
So it’s “DZAI-JYEN” — both dropping.
The Casual Favorite: Bàibài
拜拜 (Bàibài) — “bye bye,” borrowed from English — is extremely common in everyday Chinese, especially among young people, on the phone, and in texting. In casual settings you’ll often hear it more than Zàijiàn.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Register |
|---|---|---|
| 再见 | Zàijiàn | Standard / polite |
| 拜拜 | Bàibài | Casual (very common) |
The ”…見 (Jiàn)” Family
Like other languages, Chinese builds goodbyes around “see you [when]” — using 见 (jiàn, see):
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 回头见 | Huítóu jiàn | See you later |
| 一会儿见 | Yīhuǐr jiàn | See you in a bit |
| 明天见 | Míngtiān jiàn | See you tomorrow |
| 下次见 | Xiàcì jiàn | See you next time |
| 回见 | Huíjiàn | See you (casual) |
The pattern is [time/when] + 见, giving flexible, friendly goodbyes.
Other Casual Goodbyes
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 走了 | Zǒu le | I’m off / heading out |
| 我先走了 | Wǒ xiān zǒu le | I’ll head out first |
| 保重 | Bǎozhòng | Take care (warm) |
Pronunciation Recap
- Zàijiàn — “dzai-jyen” (both 4th tone, falling)
- Bàibài — “bye-bye”
- Míngtiān jiàn — “ming-tyen jyen”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce Zàijiàn?
'再见' (Zàijiàn) is pronounced roughly 'dzai-jyen.' 'Zài' = dzai (the 'z' in pinyin is a 'dz' sound, like the 'ds' in 'kids'; rhymes with 'eye'), 4th tone falling. 'Jiàn' = jyen (the 'j' is soft like in 'jeep'; 'ian' sounds like 'yen'), 4th tone falling. So both syllables fall: 'DZAI-JYEN.'
What does Zàijiàn literally mean?
'再见' literally means 'again see' — 再 (zài) = again, 见 (jiàn) = to see/meet. So it means 'see [you] again,' carrying the warm implication that you'll meet again. It's the same optimistic idea as 'see you again' or the French 'au revoir' / German 'Auf Wiedersehen.' It's not a final farewell.
What does Bàibài mean in Chinese?
'拜拜' (Bàibài) is 'bye bye,' borrowed from English and now extremely common in everyday Chinese, especially among young people and in casual settings. It's friendly and informal — often heard more than 'Zàijiàn' in casual conversation, on the phone, and in texting. So '拜拜' is the casual bye; '再见' is the standard/polite one.
What are casual ways to say bye in Chinese?
Casual goodbyes: '拜拜' (Bàibài — bye bye, very common); '回头见' (Huítóu jiàn — see you later); '一会儿见' (Yīhuǐr jiàn — see you in a bit); '明天见' (Míngtiān jiàn — see you tomorrow); '回见' (Huíjiàn — see you, casual); '走了' (Zǒu le — I'm off / heading out). The '...见' (jiàn = see) family lets you specify when you'll meet again.
How do you say 'see you tomorrow' in Chinese?
'明天见' (Míngtiān jiàn — see you tomorrow); '明天见' uses 明天 (míngtiān = tomorrow) + 见 (jiàn = see). Similar: '下次见' (Xiàcì jiàn — see you next time), '回头见' (Huítóu jiàn — see you later), '一会儿见' (Yīhuǐr jiàn — see you in a little while). The pattern is [time/when] + 见 (see), giving you flexible, friendly goodbyes.