nei5 hou2你好
Jyutpingnei5 hou2
Yalenéih hóu
Definition
Hello; hi; a common greeting used to start a conversation.
Example
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
Native speakers often use this as a formal or polite opening, but in casual settings between friends, it is frequently replaced by a simple wave or a casual greeting like 喂. Using it with close friends can sometimes sound slightly distant or overly formal. It is most effective when meeting someone for the first time or addressing a stranger in a service environment.
Examples
Hello, the weather is quite nice today.
Hi there, who are you looking for?
Related words
Common phrases
How are you?
Common mistake
Learners often over-rely on this phrase because it is the first one taught in textbooks. In daily life, Cantonese speakers rarely use it to greet people they already know well, as it can sound like you are reading from a script.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
