Chinese word

再见

Pronunciation

Pinyinzài jiàn

Meaning

  • interjectiongoodbye

Example

我们要走了，再见。wǒ men yào zǒu le zài jiàn

We're leaving now. Goodbye.

Illustration for 再见 (goodbye)

More examples

她在电话里对妈妈说：再见。tā zài diàn huà lǐ duì mā mā shuō zài jiàn

She said goodbye to her mother on the phone.

Core concept

A spoken goodbye that leaves the door open for meeting again.

Common phrases

  • 再见了zài jiàn le

    say goodbye

  • 和老师说再见hé lǎo shī shuō zài jiàn

    say goodbye to the teacher

Similar words

明天见míng tiān jiàn: A farewell that says the next meeting will be tomorrow.
拜拜bài bài: A friendly, casual goodbye often used with people one knows well or in messages.

Definition in Chinese

作为道别的感叹词，用于离开或分别时，字面意为再次见面并表示告别。zuò wéi dào bié de gǎn tàn cí yòng yú lí kāi huò fēn bié shí zì miàn yì wèi zài cì jiàn miàn bìng biǎo shì gào bié

Word origin

再见 (zàijiàn, "goodbye") is built from 再 (zài, "again") and 见 (jiàn, "see"), linking departure with a possible future meeting.

Usage tips

  • The expression fits both a short break and a final departure, so the situation rather than the word itself shows how soon another meeting may be.

Other meanings

  • see youinterjection

Word lists with this word