How to Say Hello in Cantonese

To say hello in Cantonese, use 你好 (nei5 hou2), which literally means you good and works as a polite, all purpose greeting. In everyday Hong Kong life, though, locals more often greet each other by time of day, such as 早晨 (zou2 san4) for good morning, or with a casual 哈囉 (haa1 lo3) borrowed from English hello. Knowing a few of these makes you sound far more natural than 你好 alone.

Here are the greetings that actually come up, with Jyutping and when to use each.

The standard hello: 你好

你好 (nei5 hou2) is the greeting every course teaches first, and it is never wrong. It is polite and clear, good for meeting someone, answering a stranger, or any situation where you want to be safe. Among friends and in daily life, though, Cantonese speakers often reach for something more specific, so treat 你好 as your reliable default rather than the only tool.

Greetings by time of day

Hong Kongers greet by the time of day very naturally:

早晨 (zou2 san4): good morning, used warmly in the morning, often to colleagues, neighbours, and shopkeepers.
午安 (ng5 on1): good afternoon, more formal and less common in casual speech.
晚安 (maan5 on1): good night, used when parting in the evening rather than as a greeting.

早晨 in particular is worth learning early, because a cheerful 早晨 is how a lot of everyday Hong Kong mornings begin.

Casual and friendly greetings

With friends and people your age, casual greetings feel more natural:

哈囉 (haa1 lo3): hello, borrowed from English and used freely in casual settings.
喂 (wai2): hey or hello, especially when answering the phone or getting someone's attention.

The very Cantonese greeting: have you eaten?

One of the most Cantonese ways to greet someone is to ask 食咗飯未 (sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6), meaning have you eaten yet. It is not really a question about food. It is a warm, caring way to say hello, a bit like asking how are you. You can answer simply that you have or have not eaten. Using it shows real familiarity with the culture, not just the words.

Asking how someone is

To follow a greeting with a check in:

你好嗎 (nei5 hou2 maa3): how are you, a natural follow up to a greeting.
點呀 (dim2 aa3): how's it going, casual and common among friends.

Saying goodbye

To round out a conversation:

拜拜 (baai1 baai3): bye bye, the most common casual goodbye, borrowed from English.
再見 (zoi3 gin3): goodbye, literally see again, slightly more formal.

Learn these greetings out loud with native audio so your tones are right, since the tone changes the meaning. For a wider starter set, see our list of 100 essential Cantonese words and phrases, and learn how to say thank you in Cantonese next.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say hello in Cantonese?

You say hello in Cantonese with 你好 (nei5 hou2), a polite all purpose greeting that literally means you good. In daily life, locals also greet by time of day, such as 早晨 (zou2 san4) for good morning, or with a casual 哈囉 (haa1 lo3) borrowed from English.

What is the difference between 你好 and 早晨?

你好 (nei5 hou2) is a general, polite hello you can use any time, while 早晨 (zou2 san4) specifically means good morning and is used warmly in the morning. In Hong Kong, a time based greeting such as 早晨 often sounds more natural than 你好 among people who see each other regularly.

Do people really greet each other by asking if you've eaten?

Yes. 食咗飯未 (sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6), meaning have you eaten yet, is a genuine and affectionate way to greet someone in Cantonese culture. It is not a literal question about food but a caring way to say hello, similar in spirit to asking how are you.

How do you say hi informally in Cantonese?

Informally, many Cantonese speakers say 哈囉 (haa1 lo3), borrowed from English hello, or 喂 (wai2) to get attention or answer the phone. These feel casual and friendly among friends and people of a similar age, where 你好 can sound a little formal.