15 Best Ways to Say Nice to Meet You in Chinese [Pinyin and Pronunciation Tip]

Meeting someone for the first time can be nerve-wracking, even if you share the same native language. You want to make a good first impression, but may feel anxious about using the right greeting. Learning how to say Nice to meet you in Chinese adds an extra layer of complexity. In Mandarin Chinese, there are a few standard greetings people use when being introduced to new acquaintances that capture the meaning of Nice to meet you in Chinese.

Formal Greetings for “Nice to Meet You”​ in Chinese

When meeting people in professional settings for the first time – such as colleagues, elders, bosses or professors – it’s important to come across as polite and humble.

Here are some safe, formal Chinese greetings to make good first impressions:

1.幸会 (Xìnghuì) – “It’s a pleasure”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “x” in “xìng” sounds like “sh” in English, and “huì” sounds like “hway.”​
• Example: “Xìnghuì, wǒ shì Zhāng Sān.” – “It’s a pleasure, I’m John Smith.”​
• When to Use: This phrase is often used in professional settings, showing respect and politeness when meeting someone for the first time.​

2.很高兴认识您 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín) – “Very pleased to meet you” (respectful)​

• Pronunciation tip: The “nín” is the respectful form of “you,” pronounced like “neen.”​
• Example: “Wǒ jiào Zhāng Sān, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín.” – “My name is John Smith, very pleased to meet you.”​
• When to Use: A formal version of the basic greeting, used with people you don’t know well or in higher-status relationships (e.g., bosses, elders).​

3.初次见面 (Chūcì jiànmiàn) – “Nice to meet you for the first time”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “chūcì” sounds like “choo-tsuh.”​
• Example: “Chūcì jiànmiàn, wǒ shì Mǎ Lì.” – “Nice to meet you for the first time, I’m Mary.”​
• When to Use: This phrase is used when meeting someone for the first time, especially in formal or professional settings.​

When saying these Chinese expressions out loud for the first time, getting the tones and sounds right can help you sound more fluid and natural.Listening to native speaker recordings from Wukong Chinese’ teacher can train your ear effectively before testing new vocabulary out loud. With practice over time, proper pronunciation of tones, vowel sounds and “r” becomes second nature.

Casual Greetings for “Nice to Meet You”​ in Chinese

In casual settings with friends, classmates, or colleagues, a more relaxed greeting can be used. These phrases are friendly but still polite.​

1.很高兴认识你 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) – “Nice to meet you”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “gāoxìng” sounds like “gao-shing,” with the “g” in “gao” like in “go.”​
• Example: “Wǒ jiào Zhāng Sān, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.” – “My name is John Smith, nice to meet you.”​
• When to Use: This is the most common greeting and can be used in almost any casual encounter.​

2.很高兴见到你 (Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ) – “Very happy to meet you”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “jiàn” sounds like “jyen.”​
• Example: “Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ, Wáng Lì.” – “Very happy to meet you, Wang Li.”​
• When to Use: A slightly more enthusiastic version, perfect for situations where you’re excited to meet someone, such as a friend or a close colleague.​

3.很高兴认识大家 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi dàjiā) – “Nice to meet everyone”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “dàjiā” sounds like “dah-jyah.”​
• Example: “Hěn gāoxìng rènshi dàjiā, wǒ shì Zhāng Sān.” – “Nice to meet everyone, I’m John Smith.”​
• When to Use: Used when greeting a group of people, such as in meetings, events, or group settings.

4.很高兴遇见你 (Hěn gāoxìng yùjiàn nǐ) – “Very glad to meet you”​

• Pronunciation tip: The “yùjiàn” sounds like “you-jyen.”​
• Example: “Hěn gāoxìng yùjiàn nǐ, Lǐ Jiā.” – “Very glad to meet you, Li Jia.”​
• When to Use: Casual and friendly, often used when meeting someone unexpectedly or in informal settings.​

When NOT to Say “Nice to Meet You” in Chinese?

While it’s always safest to greet new acquaintances politely in Chinese, there are certain situations where it may sound overly formal or awkward to say Nice to meet you in Chinese:

• Brief casual encounters – Stick to “Nǐ hǎo” for short run-ins like riding in a taxi or food delivery worker.
• Service staff – A simple smile or nod will do for waiters, cashiers and front desk clerks you interact with briefly.
• Before being introduced – Wait until you’re formally introduced before greeting someone new to avoid seeming overly eager.
• Meeting someone’s friend/coworker in passing – Nod your head as you’re introduced without greeting formally if it’s just in passing.
• Group introductions – Hold off on greeting individuals formally. Nod and smile as a group or say a general “nǐmen hǎo” (Hello everyone).

And While learning Chinese, here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Using “Xìnghuì” in Casual Settings: This formal expression might sound out of place in casual conversations.
• Forgetting the Respectful “Nín”: When addressing someone older or in a professional setting, forgetting to use “nín” instead of “nǐ” can sound impolite.
• Mispronouncing Tones: Mandarin is tonal, so mispronouncing a tone can change the meaning. Practice the tones to avoid confusion.

In these situations less formal or no greeting may be preferred. Rely more on friendly eye contact, body language and smiles to acknowledge new acquaintances you interact with only briefly before continuing about your day.

Alternative Greetings for Nice to Meet You in Chinese

Besides the standard Nice to meet you in Chinese equivalents, here are some additional creative greetings and well wishes you can exchange when meeting Chinese speakers for the first time:

• Huānyíng 欢迎 – Literally means “welcome”. A friendly greeting implying “it’s a pleasure to welcome you.”
• Nǐ hǎo你好 – Hello / Good to see you
• Nǐmen hǎo 你们好- Hello (plural) / Good to see all of you
• Wǒ yě shì 我也是- Me too
• Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng 我也很高兴- I’m also very happy (to meet you)
• Míngtiān jiàn明天见 – See you tomorrow
• Xièxiè谢谢 – Thank you
• Bù kèqì不客气 – You’re welcome
• Máfanle 麻烦了 – Say this to politely express gratitude, like “Thank you for going to the trouble.”
• Xiāngjiànhènwǎn 相见恨晚 – A poetic idiom meaning “I regret not meeting you sooner.”
• 久仰 (Jiǔ yǎng) – “I’ve heard of you” (formal, used when meeting someone you admire or have heard about)

These creative alternatives can help further thoughtful introductory conversations that leave new acquaintances feeling respected.Being ready with comebacks for these responses keeps conversation flowing smoothly after breaking the ice.

Useful Phrases to Learn Next Nice to Meet You in Chinese

Once you’ve made a friendly first impression, keeping the conversation going will lead to more natural rapport.Here are some helpful Mandarin phrases and questions to learn next after greeting someone:

• Wǒ de zhōngwén shuō de bù tài hǎo – (我的中文说得不好）My Chinese is not very good.
• Nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái? – （你从哪里来？）Where are you from?
• Nǐ zuìjìn hǎo ma? –（你最近好吗？） How have you been recently?

Having a few conversational follow up questions handy prevents awkward silences. This allows you to show interest in learning more about the new person.Wukong Chinese help you pick up these basic Mandarin phrases over time helps conversations flow smoothly. With more vocabulary and practice, you’ll become more comfortable continuing dialogues long after your stellar Chinese greeting.

Part8. FAQs about Nice to meet you in Chinese

Q1：Do Chinese people say nice to meet you?​

Yes, Chinese people do say “Nice to meet you.” The most common way to say this in Chinese is “很高兴认识你” (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ), which literally means “Very happy to meet you.” It’s used in casual and professional settings. For formal occasions, you can say “很高兴认识您” (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín) to show respect.​

Q2: What does hen gao xing ren shi ni mean?​

“很高兴认识你” (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) means “Nice to meet you” in Chinese. It’s a friendly and polite greeting, suitable for both casual and formal contexts. The phrase is used when meeting someone for the first time or when greeting a new acquaintance.​

Q3：How to reply nice to meet you in Chinese?​

To reply to “Nice to meet you” in Chinese, you can say “我也很高兴认识你” (Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ), which means “I’m also very happy to meet you.” This is a polite and common response.

Conclusion

Learning proper Chinese greetings is essential to starting relationships off on the right foot. By mastering polite ways to say Nice to meet you in Chinese, you’ll give great first impressions in both formal and casual situations. The keys are understanding when to use casual vs professional greetings, proper pronunciation, and having conversational follow-up questions ready.

For young learners and families looking to build authentic communication skills in Mandarin, WuKong Chinese provides engaging, level-based instruction with native-speaking teachers. As part of WuKong Education, our mission is to make Chinese language learning accessible, effective, and enjoyable for kids around the world. With some memorization and practice, you’ll be able to greet new Chinese friends smoothly like a native speaker!

Bella | WuKong Chinese Teacher

Master’s degree from Yangzhou University. Possessing 10 years of experience in K-12 Chinese language teaching and research, with over 10 published papers in teh field of language and literature. Currently responsible for teh research and production of “WuKong Chinese” major courses, particularly focusing on teh course’s interest, expansiveness, and its impact on students’ thinking development. She also dedicated to helping children acquire a stronger foundation in Chinese language learning, including Chinese characters, phonetics (pinyin), vocabulary, idioms, classic stories, and Chinese culture. Our Chinese language courses for academic advancement aim to provide children with a wealth of noledge and a deeper understanding of Chinese language skills.