The short version: 再见 zàijiàn is the standard goodbye, but in everyday life 拜拜 bāibāi is just as common. For “see you later”, say 回头见 huítóu jiàn. When you leave before others, say 我先走了. A host sees a guest off with 慢走, and a phone call ends with 那先这样吧, then 拜拜.
Every course teaches 再见 on day one, and it is never wrong. But listen to people leaving an office, a dinner or a phone call in China and you will hear it far less than you expect. Chinese chooses its goodbye by situation: who is leaving, who is staying and whether you will see each other again soon.
再见 and 拜拜: the two everyday goodbyes
拜拜, borrowed from English “bye-bye”, is used by people of every age, from teenagers to grandparents on the phone, and you will hear it pronounced bāibāi or báibái. In messages it is often written 88, which sounds like it (八八 bābā); more codes like this are in Chinese number slang. 再见 remains the safer choice in formal settings and with people much older than you whom you have just met.
See you later: time + 见
For “see you…”, put a time word in front of 见:
Leaving first: 我先走了
When you are the first to leave a group, a class or the office, Chinese announces it. 先 means first or ahead of others, and the sentence is a polite signal rather than a request for permission.
At work you will also hear 我先下班了 wǒ xiān xiàbān le, “I'm finishing for the day”. Among friends, 我先撤了 wǒ xiān chè le, roughly “I'm out”, is a casual alternative.
Leaving someone's home: a short ritual
Leaving a dinner at someone's home is a small exchange with fixed parts. The guest signals, the host politely protests, and both say a final line at the door.
Ending a phone call or a chat
Chinese phone calls rarely end with a sudden 再见. One person signals that the call is wrapping up, the other agrees, and both say 拜拜.
吧 at the end of 那先这样吧 makes it a gentle suggestion rather than a decision; see 吧, 呢, 啊, 嘛. In messages you will also see 回聊 huíliáo, “talk later”, and at night 晚安 wǎn'ān, “good night”.
Long goodbyes
When someone is moving away or going on a long journey, Chinese has warmer, more serious phrases:
Check yourself: which goodbye?
Pick the most natural phrase.
Announce that you are leaving first: 我先走了.
The person staying says 慢走 to the person leaving.
别送了 (or 请留步): don't see me out.
那先这样吧 signals the end of the call.
回头见 is see you later. 改天见 is some other day.
For a long separation: 保重 and 常联系.
Hear every goodbye in a real conversation
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Learn Chinese with Hanzijo - FreeQuick reference
- Standard
- 再见 zàijiàn: always correct.
- Everyday
- 拜拜 bāibāi: all ages, phone and messages (88 in texts).
- See you…
- Time + 见: 回头见, 一会儿见, 明天见, 下周见, 改天见.
- Leaving first
- 我先走了 · 我先下班了. Reply: 好，慢走 / 路上小心 / 拜拜.
- Guest
- 不早了，我该走了 · 别送了 / 请留步.
- Host
- 再坐一会儿吧 · 慢走 · 路上小心 · 有空常来.
- Phone and chat
- 那先这样吧 · 那我先挂了 · 不打扰你了 · 回聊.
- Long goodbyes
- 保重 · 一路平安 · 常联系. Night: 晚安.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say goodbye in Chinese?
再见 (zàijiàn) is the standard goodbye and is always correct. In everyday speech, 拜拜 (bāibāi) is just as common, especially among friends and on the phone. For 'see you later', say 回头见 (huítóu jiàn).
What does 慢走 mean?
慢走 (màn zǒu) literally means 'walk slowly'. Hosts and shopkeepers say it to someone leaving, meaning 'take care' or 'mind how you go'. You do not say it about yourself.
How do you say I have to go in Chinese?
Say 我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le), 'I'm heading off first', when you leave before others. At someone's home, 不早了，我该走了 (it's getting late, I should go) is the polite way to start leaving.
How do you end a phone call in Chinese?
Signal the end with 那先这样吧 (let's leave it there for now) or 那我先挂了 (I'll hang up then), then say 拜拜. To end politely with someone busy, 不打扰你了 means 'I won't keep you'.
Is 拜拜 rude or too casual?
No. 拜拜 is used by all ages and is fine with friends, colleagues and family. In a formal meeting or with someone much older you have just met, 再见 is the safer choice.
- 中国社会科学院语言研究所, 《现代汉语词典》 (第7版): the entries for 再见, 拜拜, 慢走, 留步 and 保重.
- 吕叔湘 (Lü Shuxiang), 《现代汉语八百词》: the entries for 先 and 该.
- 国际中文教育中文水平等级标准 (GF 0025-2021): the official standard behind the new HSK levels.