Simplified Chinese - Lesson 3 of 156: Goodbyes

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

再见

zài jiàn

Goodbye.

Meaning: Goodbye.

When to use: Standard, polite way to end a conversation in most situations.

Tip: Avoid using this only with very close friends; casual friends often say 拜拜 (bái bái).

好了，我们下次见。再见！

Hǎo le, wǒmen xià cì jiàn. Zài jiàn!

Alright, see you next time. Goodbye!

和老师聊天后，学生说：'再见'。

Hé lǎoshī liáo tiān hòu, xuéshēng shuō: 'Zài jiàn'.

After chatting with the teacher, the student says: 'Goodbye.'

拜拜

bái bái

Bye.

Meaning: Bye.

When to use: Casual, very common among friends, on the phone, or in messages.

Tip: Some learners over-formalize and use 再见 (zài jiàn) in all casual settings; 拜拜 (bái bái) is fine with friends.

电话快挂了，朋友说：'拜拜'。

Diànhuà kuài guà le, péngyou shuō: 'Bái bái'.

The call is ending; a friend says: 'Bye.'

聚会结束大家互相说拜拜。

Jùhuì jiéshù dàjiā hùxiāng shuō bái bái.

At the end of the party everyone says 'bye' to each other.

回头见

huí tóu jiàn

See you later.

Meaning: See you later.

When to use: Casual farewell when you expect to see the person again soon.

我去买东西，回头见！

Wǒ qù mǎi dōngxi, huítóu jiàn!

I'm going to buy something, see you later!

在公司楼下碰到她，他说：'回头见'。

Zài gōngsī lóuxià pèngdào tā, tā shuō: 'Huítóu jiàn'.

He met her downstairs at the company and said: 'See you later.'

明天见

míng tiān jiàn

See you tomorrow.

Meaning: See you tomorrow.

When to use: Use when you expect to meet the person the next day.

我明天上班见你，明天见！

Wǒ míngtiān shàngbān jiàn nǐ, míngtiān jiàn!

I'll see you at work tomorrow, see you tomorrow!

老师走出教室说：'明天见'。

Lǎoshī zǒu chū jiàoshì shuō: 'Míngtiān jiàn'.

The teacher leaves the classroom and says: 'See you tomorrow.'

保重

bǎo zhòng

Take care.

Meaning: Take care.

When to use: A warm, polite way to end an interaction, especially when someone is traveling or unwell.

下次出差要小心，保重！

Xià cì chūchāi yào xiǎoxīn, bǎo zhòng!

Be careful on your next business trip, take care!

朋友生病了，同事说：'保重'。

Péngyou shēngbìng le, tóngshì shuō: 'Bǎo zhòng'.

A friend is sick; a colleague says: 'Take care.'

祝你今天愉快

zhù nǐ jīn tiān yú kuài

Have a good day.

Meaning: Have a good day.

When to use: Polite leaving phrase; good for shops, offices, or email closings.

服务员说：'祝你今天愉快'，顾客回答谢谢。

Fúwùyuán shuō: 'Zhù nǐ jīntiān yúkuài', gùkè huídá xièxie.

The server says: 'Have a good day', the customer thanks them.

写完邮件后，她写了：'祝你今天愉快'。

Xiě wán yóujiàn hòu, tā xiě le: 'Zhù nǐ jīntiān yúkuài'.

After finishing the email she wrote: 'Have a good day.'

你也是

nǐ yě shì

You too.

Meaning: You too.

When to use: Reply when someone wishes you well (like 'Have a good day').

A: 祝你今天愉快！B: 你也是。

A: Zhù nǐ jīntiān yúkuài! B: Nǐ yě shì.

A: Have a good day! B: You too.

同事说'晚安'时，你可以说：'你也是'。

Tóngshì shuō 'Wǎn'ān' shí, nǐ kěyǐ shuō: 'Nǐ yě shì'.

When a colleague says 'good night', you can say: 'You too.'

我得走了

wǒ děi zǒu le

I have to go.

Meaning: I have to go.

When to use: Natural spoken way to end a conversation and leave.

Tip: Don't overuse '我得走了' for very polite goodbyes; add 保重 or 再见 if you want to be formal.

开会快结束，他说：'我得走了'。

Kāihuì kuài jiéshù, tā shuō: 'Wǒ děi zǒu le'.

The meeting is almost over; he says: 'I have to go.'

朋友迟到了，他说：'我得走了，下次见'。

Péngyou chídào le, tā shuō: 'Wǒ děi zǒu le, xià cì jiàn'.

A friend is late; he says: 'I have to go, see you next time.'

我现在得走了

wǒ xiàn zài děi zǒu le

I need to go now.

Meaning: I need to go now.

When to use: Clear phrase when you must leave immediately.

火车要开了，她说：'我现在得走了'。

Huǒchē yào kāi le, tā shuō: 'Wǒ xiànzài děi zǒu le'.

The train is about to leave; she says: 'I need to go now.'

电话里他突然说：'对不起，我现在得走了'。

Diànhuà lǐ tā túrán shuō: 'Duìbuqǐ, wǒ xiànzài děi zǒu le'.

On the phone he suddenly says: 'Sorry, I need to go now.'

跟你聊天很开心。

gēn nǐ liáo tiān hěn kāi xīn

It was nice talking to you.

Meaning: It was nice talking to you.

When to use: Warm way to end a chat, polite for both friends and acquaintances.

和老朋友见面后，他说：'跟你聊天很开心'。

Hé lǎo péngyou jiànmiàn hòu, tā shuō: 'Gēn nǐ liáotiān hěn kāixīn'.

After meeting an old friend he says: 'It was nice talking to you.'

电话结束时，妈妈说：'跟你聊天很开心'。

Diànhuà jiéshù shí, māma shuō: 'Gēn nǐ liáotiān hěn kāixīn'.

At the end of the call, mom says: 'It was nice talking to you.'

晚安

Wǎn’ān.

Good night.

Meaning: Good night.

When to use: Say this when leaving at night or before going to sleep.

孩子们睡觉前，父母说：'晚安'。

Háizi men shuìjiào qián, fùmǔ shuō: 'Wǎn'ān'.

Before children go to sleep, parents say: 'Good night.'

离开朋友家时已很晚，他们互道'晚安'。

Líkāi péngyou jiā shí yǐ hěn wǎn, tāmen hù dào 'Wǎn'ān'.

Leaving a friend's home late, they say 'Good night' to each other.

回头再聊

Huítóu zài liáo.

Talk to you later.

Meaning: Talk to you later.

When to use: Casual phrase among friends or acquaintances to indicate you'll talk again.

会议结束他发信息写：'回头再聊'。

Huìyì jiéshù tā fā xìnxī xiě: 'Huítóu zài liáo'.

After the meeting he texted: 'Talk to you later.'

挂电话前，她说：'回头再聊'，然后挂断了。

Guà diànhuà qián, tā shuō: 'Huítóu zài liáo', ránhòu guàduàn le.

Before hanging up she said 'Talk to you later' and then ended the call.

先这样，拜拜

Xiān zhèyàng, báibái.

Bye for now.

Meaning: Bye for now.

When to use: Friendly way to end a chat or call temporarily.

在线聊天要去忙了，他写：'先这样，拜拜'。

Zàixiàn liáotiān yào qù máng le, tā xiě: 'Xiān zhèyàng, báibái'.

In an online chat he needs to go and writes: 'Bye for now.'

朋友临时要走，说：'先这样，拜拜'。

Péngyou línshí yào zǒu, shuō: 'Xiān zhèyàng, báibái'.

A friend needs to leave unexpectedly and says: 'Bye for now.'

Simplified Chinese - Goodbyes

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

You will meet your classmate at school tomorrow. What do you say when leaving today?

You finish a casual phone call with a close friend. Which is most natural?

Someone says '祝你今天愉快' to you. A short polite reply is:

It's late and someone is going to sleep. The polite goodbye is:

The colleague replies 'You too.' (你也是).

She says she needs to leave immediately: 'I need to go now.'

Before going to sleep at the end of a late party, she says 'Good night.'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice