"Ni hao" itself is not wrong, but saying "Hello, Teacher" or using the polite form "Nin hao" is usually more natural and respectful when greeting a teacher.对老师说“你好”不礼貌吗？ - Is It Rude to Say "Hello" to a Teacher? [HSK 4]Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية《English Translation》优子: Teacher Liu, yesterday I joined a Chinese corner. I said "Ni hao" to a teacher, but a Japanese friend told me that was rude. Is that true?刘娜: I wouldn't call it rude. "Ni hao" is a very common greeting, and teachers generally won't think you're being impolite.优子: Then why did she say you shouldn't say "Ni hao" to a teacher? I felt so embarrassed at the time.刘娜: She may have felt that students should be a bit more polite with teachers. At school, students usually say "Hello, Teacher." When meeting for the first time, you can also say, "Teacher, nin hao."优子: So it was just that my wording wasn't natural enough, not that I was being disrespectful.刘娜: That's right. And in a relaxed Chinese corner, if the teacher is about the same age as everyone else, simply saying "Ni hao" is perfectly fine too. It really depends on the situation.优子: Then next time I'll say "Hello, Teacher" first, and after we get to know each other, I'll use a more casual greeting.刘娜: That's the safest approach. Don't worry too much because of one person's comment. It's not as serious as you think.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related