The Nighttime Farewell That Actually Lands
“Good night” in Mandarin has a clean, graceful form: 晚安 (wǎn ān). It’s a warm send-off used at the end of the day—leaving a friend, signing off a chat, tucking in family, or closing an event. Think of it as a verbal nightlight: short, kind, and just bright enough to guide the way to sleep.
Meaning, Timing, And What It Isn’t
晚 means “evening/night,” 安 carries the sense of “peace/calm.” Put together, 晚安 is literally “night peace.” It’s a goodbye at night, not a greeting to start an evening conversation.
A useful pairing to keep clear:
- 晚上好 (wǎnshàng hǎo) = “Good evening” (opening a conversation or addressing a room).
- 晚安 (wǎn ān) = “Good night” (closing a conversation, saying farewell, signaling sleep).
In daily life, 晚安 shows up in doorways, at bus stops, at the ends of voice notes, and all over text messages. It’s also a natural sign-off after a late dinner or study session—even if nobody is headed straight to bed.
How It Sounds (And Why Tone Matters)
晚安 = wǎn (third tone) + ān (first tone). Say it in one smooth breath: a gentle dip for wǎn, then a steady, calm ān. Over-lengthening the third tone can make it sound heavy; keep it compact and soft. In quick speech, the transition often feels like a tiny hammock: dip, then rest.
When 晚安 Fits Like A Cozy Blanket
- Waving goodnight to neighbors or friends after an evening hangout.
- Ending a chat thread: “晚安，明天再說。” (Wǎn ān, míngtiān zàishuō. Good night—talk tomorrow.)
- Family bedtime routines or couple sign-offs, sometimes with a sweeter add-on like “做個好夢。” (Zuò ge hǎo mèng. Have sweet dreams.)
- Event closings: “各位晚安，路上小心。” (Gèwèi wǎn ān, lùshàng xiǎoxīn. Good night, everyone—travel safe.)
Useful Variants And Add-Ons
晚安 is the core, but Mandarin loves small, affectionate tweaks. These keep the meaning while shaping tone and relationship:
- 晚安喔／晚安哦 (wǎn’ān ō) — soft, friendly finish
- 晚安囉 (wǎn’ān luō) — casual, winding down a chat
- 晚安啦 (wǎn’ān la) — relaxed, intimate vibe
- 做個好夢 (zuò ge hǎo mèng) — sweet dreams
- 早點休息 (zǎodiǎn xiūxi) — rest early
- 好好休息 (hǎohǎo xiūxi) — get good rest
- 明天見 (míngtiān jiàn) — see you tomorrow
- 晚點聊 (wǎndiǎn liáo) — let’s talk later tonight (if not calling it a night yet)
Sample Dialogues (Traditional • Pinyin • English)
Friends Wrapping Up After Dinner
A：時間不早了，今天先到這裡。晚安！
A: Shíjiān bù zǎo le, jīntiān xiān dào zhèlǐ. Wǎn ān!
A: It’s getting late—let’s call it a night. Good night!
B：晚安，回家小心。
B: Wǎn ān, huí jiā xiǎoxīn.
B: Good night—get home safe.
Texting Sign-Off
A：我明天早上再傳檔案，晚安～
A: Wǒ míngtiān zǎoshang zài chuán dǎng’àn, wǎn ān~
A: I’ll send the file in the morning. Good night~
B：好，晚安，做個好夢。
B: Hǎo, wǎn ān, zuò ge hǎo mèng.
B: Ok—good night, sweet dreams.
Family Bedtime
A：晚安，寶貝。
A: Wǎn ān, bǎobèi.
A: Good night, sweetie.
B：晚安～明天叫我起床。
B: Wǎn ān~ míngtiān jiào wǒ qǐchuáng.
B: Good night—wake me up tomorrow.
Event Closing (MC)
A：各位來賓，謝謝蒞臨。活動到此結束。晚安。
A: Gèwèi láibīn, xièxie lìlín. Huódòng dào cǐ jiéshù. Wǎn ān.
A: Honored guests, thanks for coming. This concludes our program. Good night.
Video Call Wrap
A：今天先這樣，晚安，明天開會見。
A: Jīntiān xiān zhèyàng, wǎn ān, míngtiān kāihuì jiàn.
A: Let’s stop here for today—good night, see you in the meeting tomorrow.
Replies That Feel Natural
Mirroring works well:
- 晚安。
- 晚安，做個好夢。
- 晚安，明天見。
- 路上小心，晚安。
With close friends or partners, soft particles and elongation add warmth:
- 晚安喔～
- 晚安啦，早點睡。
“Evening” Versus “Night”: Choosing The Right One
Use 晚上好 (wǎnshàng hǎo) to start something in the evening (greeting a room, opening a call). Use 晚安 (wǎn ān) to end the interaction. When the clock creeps later and eyes get heavy, 晚安 becomes the natural landing.
Character Anatomy (Why It’s Easy To Remember)
- 晚 carries the “sun/day” radical 日 with 免 (miǎn) as phonetic. The feeling of “late/at night” helps anchor the meaning.
- 安 shows a “roof” 宀 over “woman” 女 in its ancient form, historically linked to “peace, safety.” Together: peaceful night. Even the building blocks tuck the meaning into bed.
Common Learner Pitfalls (And Smooth Fixes)
Using 晚安 to open an evening conversation reads oddly—it’s like saying “Good night” then immediately chatting for an hour. Swap to 晚上好 to kick things off, save 晚安 for the sign-off. Another stumble is tone flattening; when wǎn turns into a flat “wan,” the word loses color. Keep that gentle third-tone dip before the calm landing on ān.
Social And Texting Style
Stickers, emojis, and tildes soften the message without changing meaning: “晚安～😴”, “晚安🌙”, “晚安喔～”. In group chats, a single “晚安，大家” keeps it tidy; in one-to-one threads, “晚安囉” often reads like a friendly wink as the conversation fades.
Classroom And Workplace Patterns
- 晚安，各位。明天同步更新進度。
Wǎn ān, gèwèi. Míngtiān tóngbù gēngxīn jìndù.
Good night, everyone. Let’s sync progress tomorrow. - 晚安，同學們。作業上傳記得按送出。
Wǎn ān, tóngxuémen. Zuòyè shàngchuán jìdé àn sòngchū.
Good night, students. Don’t forget to hit submit on the homework. - 晚安，謝謝今晚的協助。
Wǎn ān, xièxie jīnwǎn de xiézhù.
Good night, thanks for the help tonight.
Practice Drills (Copy-Ready)
Read each line three times, then swap the underlined part.
- 晚安，＿＿＿＿。明天再聊。
Wǎn ān, ______. Míngtiān zài liáo.
Good night, ______. Talk tomorrow. - 各位晚安，路上小心。
Gèwèi wǎn ān, lùshàng xiǎoxīn.
Good night, everyone—travel safe. - 晚安喔，做個好夢。
Wǎn ān ō, zuò ge hǎo mèng.
Good night—sweet dreams. - 晚安，報告我已經寄出。
Wǎn ān, bàogào wǒ yǐjīng jì chū.
Good night—the report has been sent. - 晚安啦，明天見。
Wǎn ān la, míngtiān jiàn.
Good night—see you tomorrow.
Quick Reference Table
| English | Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Use |
| Good night | 晚安 | wǎn ān | Nighttime farewell / sign-off |
| Good evening (opening) | 晚上好 | wǎnshàng hǎo | Start an evening conversation or address a group |
| Sweet dreams | 做個好夢 | zuò ge hǎo mèng | Affectionate add-on |
| Rest early | 早點休息 | zǎodiǎn xiūxi | Caring suggestion |
| See you tomorrow | 明天見 | míngtiān jiàn | Plan for next day |
Last Yak Before Lights Out
晚安 closes the book on the day with just two syllables. Use 晚上好 to begin an evening, save 晚安 to end it, and season the sign-off with the right warmth—做個好夢 for tenderness, 明天見 for continuity, or 路上小心 when the night still has a commute left. Keep the tones gentle, the timing honest, and the message becomes exactly what it says: peace for the night.