Best ways to say Goodbye in Chinese

In this post I’ll give you the best ways to say Goodbye in Chinese.

Be sure to also checkout my post on the best ways to say Hello in Chinese.

1. Goodbye / 再见 / zàijiàn

再zài见jiàn (zàijiàn) is the most common way to say goodbye and can be used in many situations. I recommend that those new to Chinese learn just this one.

Here is a break down of the words:

再	见
zài	jiàn
again	meet

As you can see 再见 (zàijiàn) literally means “again meet”, which is quite similar to “see you again” in English.

Here are some examples 再zài见jiàn (zàijiàn):

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
I’m afraid I’ve got to be going now. So long!	我wǒ看kàn我wǒ得děi走zǒu了le，,再zài见jiàn！!	wǒ kàn wǒ dé zǒule, zàijiàn!
Good luck, goodbye!	祝zhù你nǐ好hǎo运yùn，,再zài见jiàn！!	zhù nǐ hǎo yùn, zàijiàn!
I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her.	我wǒ甚shèn至zhì都dōu没méi有yǒu和hé她tā说shuō再zài见jiàn。.	wǒ shènzhì dōu méiyǒu hé tā shuō zàijiàn

2. Bye bye / 拜拜 / bàibài

拜bái拜bái (bàibài) is borrowed from English and is a direct phonetic equivalent of “bye bye”. This is more commonly used by Chinese native speakers who are exposed to English and Western media, so perhaps don’t use this if you are deep in rural China. It is worth pointing out that you may hear 拜bái拜bái (bàibài) quite commonly on the phone, as you would in English

The character 拜 (bài) itself means to pay respect or to salute, here are some other words that use this character:

• 拜bài (bài) is used in the word for “Dubai” (díbài) which is itself a phonetic translation of “Dubai”
• 拜bài会huì (bàihuì) means to pay and official visit, for example “He called on his teacher” 他tā拜bài会huì他tā的de老lǎo师shī (tā bàihuì tā de lǎoshī)
• 拜bài佛Fó (bàifó) means to pray to Buddha and you might see it used in sentences such as “Today I’ll go and pray to Buddha” 我wǒ今jīn天tiān去qù拜bài佛Fó (wǒ jīntiān qù bàifó)

Here are some examples of 拜bái拜bái (bàibài):

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
Okay, I‘ve got to go (hang up), byebye. Thanks!	好hǎo的de，,我wǒ要yào挂guà了le，,拜bái拜bái。.谢xiè谢xie你nǐ。.	hǎo de, wǒ yào guàle, bàibài. xièxiè nǐ.
Sorry, I can’t talk now. Byebye!	对duì不bu起qǐ，,不bù能néng和hé你nǐ说shuō了le。.拜bái拜bái。.	duìbùqǐ, bùnéng hé nǐ shuōle. Bàibài.
I’ll go. Byebye。	我wǒ去qù啦la，,拜bái拜bái！!	wǒ qù la, bàibài!

3. Keep in touch / 再联系 / zài liánxì

再zài联lián系xì (zài liánxì) means “keep in touch” and is aother common way of saying goodbye in Chinese. Of course you wouldn’t say this to someone who you don’t intend on seeing again! Here is a break down

再	联系
zài	liánxì
again / once more	contact / get in touch

Here are some example sentences for 再zài联lián系xì (zài liánxì):

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
I’ll see you next time.	我wǒ下xià次cì再zài联lián系xì。.	wǒ xià cì zài liánxì.
Don’t contact me. Goodbye!	不bù要yào再zài联lián系xì我wǒ了le，,再zài见jiàn！!	bùyào zài liánxì wǒle, zàijiàn!
Thank you for calling. Please call again.	谢xiè谢xie来lái电diàn，,欢huān迎yíng再zài联lián系xì。.	xièxiè láidiàn, huānyíng zài liánxì.
l wiII taIk to you soon, okay.	我wǒ会huì再zài联lián系xì你nǐ的de，,好hǎo的de	wǒ huì zài liánxì nǐ de, hǎo de.

4. Bon Voyage / 一路平安 / yīlù píngān

一yī路lù平píng安'ān (yī lù píng ān) is the equivalent of “Bon Voyage” in English, which itself is a saying of French origin meaning “good journey”. 一yī路lù平píng安'ān (yī lù píng ān) should only really be used if someone is going on a long journey for a long period of time and using it when this isn’t the case would be a bit melodramatic. Broken d Here is a Perhaps don’t use 一路平安 unless you are bidding someone who is going on a long trip farewell.

Here is a break down of 一yī路lù平píng安'ān (yī lù píng ān):

一路	平安
yīlù	píngān
whole journey	safe and sound

These are some example sentences for 一yī路lù平píng安'ān (yī lù píng ān):

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
I wish you (hope you have) a safe journey.	希xī望wàng你nǐ一yī路lù平píng安'ān。.	xīwàng nǐ yīlù píng’ān.
I wish you a safe journey home.	祝zhù一yī路lù平píng安'ān到dào家jiā。.	zhù yīlù píng’ān dàojiā.
I wish you a nice trip, safe journey home.	祝zhù您nín旅lǚ行xíng愉yú快kuài，,一yī路lù平píng安'ān。.	zhù nín lǚxíng yúkuài, yīlù píng’ān.

5. See you again / 再会 / zàihuì

再zài会huì (zàihuì) is the equivalent of saying “until we meet again” or “see you later”. This isn’t so common, as some of the other farewells. You will also commonly hear 再zài会huì (zàihuì) used on the phone. Here is a break down of the characters:

再	会
again	meet
zài	huì

Here are some sample sentences of 再会 (zàihuì) in action:

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
Shall we call it a day? See you.	我wǒ想xiǎng我wǒ们men今jīn天tiān就jiù谈tán到dào这zhè里lǐ吧ba，,再zài会huì。.	wǒ xiǎng wǒmen jīntiān jiù tán dào zhèlǐ ba, zàihuì.
I have to go, see you later.	我wǒ得děi走zǒu了le。.再zài会huì。.	wǒ dé zǒule. Zàihuì.
See yo unext time.	下xià次cì再zài会huì。.	xià cì zàihuì.

6. See you tomorrow / 明天见 / míngtiān jiàn

明míng天tiān见jiàn (míngtiān jiàn) is a common way of telling someone that you’ll see them tomorrow. Here is a break down of the words：

明天	见
míngtiān	jiàn
tomorrow	(to) meet

Here are some example sentences for 明míng天tiān (míngtiān jiàn):

English	Chinese	Pinyin Pronunciation
I’d like to see you tomorrow.	我wǒ想xiǎng明míng天tiān见jiàn你nǐ。.	wǒ xiǎng míngtiān jiàn nǐ.
Okay, see you tomorrow.	好hǎo吧ba，,明míng天tiān见jiàn。.	hǎo ba, míngtiān jiàn.
We will arrange to see him tomorrow.	我wǒ们men将jiāng安ān排pái明míng天tiān见jiàn他tā。.	wǒmen jiāng ānpái míngtiān jiàn tā.