15 Ways to Say Goodbye in Chinese (with Pinyin)

---

再见 (zàijiàn) is the standard answer when you need to say “goodbye” in Chinese. But Mandarin gives you more useful options when you know when you will meet again, you are leaving a host’s home or you want to sound more casual.

This guide uses Simplified Chinese and Mandarin pinyin. Register varies by region, age and situation, so treat each phrase as a tool for a particular moment rather than a drop-in translation.

The short version is below. You can also compare the usage notes with this official Shanghai guide to Chinese farewells.

A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away in Chinese for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.

15 Chinese Goodbyes at a Glance

Phrase	Meaning	Best fit
再见 (zàijiàn)	goodbye	neutral situations
告别 (gàobié)	to say farewell	talking about a parting
拜拜 (bái bái)	bye-bye	casual conversation
回头见 (huítóu jiàn)	see you later	another meeting is likely
明天见 (míngtiān jiàn)	see you tomorrow	a known next meeting
一会儿见 (yīhuìr jiàn)	see you in a bit	a short separation
保重 (bǎozhòng)	take care	warm or serious farewells
一路平安 (yílù píng’ān)	have a safe journey	someone is travelling
我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le)	I’m off	you are leaving first
告辞 / 失陪 (gàocí / shīpéi)	take my leave / excuse me	formal situations
有空再聊 (yǒu kòng zài liáo)	let’s talk later	ending a conversation
下次见 (xiàcì jiàn)	see you next time	the next date is unknown
今天聊得很开心 (jīntiān liáo de hěn kāixīn)	I enjoyed our chat today	closing a good conversation
再会 (zàihuì)	farewell	formal or literary tone
保持联系 (bǎochí liánxì)	keep in touch	you genuinely plan to stay in contact

1. “Goodbye” in Chinese: 再见 (zàijiàn)

再见 (zàijiàn) is the neutral, widely understood farewell. 再 means “again” and 见 means “see”, but the phrase functions as “goodbye”. The Taiwan Ministry of Education dictionary defines it as a parting expression used in the hope of meeting again.

Use it with a teacher, a colleague or someone you have just met. In a very casual chat, 拜拜 may sound more relaxed.

Example: 谢谢，再见！ (Xièxie, zàijiàn!) – “Thank you, goodbye!”

2. “To Say Farewell” in Chinese: 告别 (gàobié)

告别 (gàobié) means “to say farewell” or “to part”. It normally describes the act of saying goodbye, rather than serving as the word you call out as you leave.

Example: 我来向大家告别。 (Wǒ lái xiàng dàjiā gàobié.) – “I’ve come to say goodbye to everyone.”

For an ordinary spoken goodbye, choose 再见 or one of the situation-specific phrases below.

3. “Bye-bye” in Chinese: 拜拜 (bái bái)

拜拜 (bái bái) comes from English “bye-bye”. It is casual and common with friends, family and colleagues you know well. Its realisation varies in connected speech, but this guide uses the source-backed pinyin bái bái consistently.

Example: 好，拜拜！ (Hǎo, bái bái!) – “Okay, bye!”

4. “See You Later” in Chinese: 回头见 (huítóu jiàn)

回头见 (huítóu jiàn) is a friendly “see you later”. Use it when another meeting is likely, even if you have not fixed the exact time.

Example: 那我先走了，回头见！ (Nà wǒ xiān zǒu le, huítóu jiàn!) – “I’m off then. See you later!”

5. “See You Tomorrow” in Chinese: 明天见 (míngtiān jiàn)

Put a time expression before 见 to say when you will meet again. 明天见 means “see you tomorrow”. You can swap in another time:

• 下周见 (xià zhōu jiàn) – “See you next week.”
• 周末见 (zhōumò jiàn) – “See you at the weekend.”
• 下学期见 (xià xuéqī jiàn) – “See you next term.”

6. “See You in a Bit” in Chinese: 一会儿见 (yīhuìr jiàn)

一会儿 (yīhuìr) means a short while, so 一会儿见 is “see you in a bit”. It suits a short separation, not a vague promise to meet someday.

Example: 我去拿咖啡，一会儿见。 (Wǒ qù ná kāfēi, yīhuìr jiàn.) – “I’m going to get coffee. See you in a bit.”

7. “Take Care” in Chinese: 保重 (bǎozhòng)

保重 (bǎozhòng) expresses real concern for someone’s wellbeing. It feels warmer and more serious than a routine “bye”, so it fits a longer separation, illness or difficult period.

Example: 路上小心，多保重。 (Lùshang xiǎoxīn, duō bǎozhòng.) – “Take care on the way, and look after yourself.”

好好照顾自己 (hǎohāo zhàogù zìjǐ) literally asks someone to take good care of themself. It is natural when you genuinely mean that advice, but 保重 is the more compact farewell.

8. “Have a Safe Journey” in Chinese: 一路平安 (yílù píng’ān)

一路平安 (yílù píng’ān) wishes someone a safe journey. Use it at the station, airport or before a long trip.

Example: 祝你一路平安。 (Zhù nǐ yílù píng’ān.) – “Have a safe journey.”

A literal translation of “have a nice day” is possible, but it is not the most useful default farewell. Match the wish to what the person is about to do.

9. “I’m Off” in Chinese: 我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le)

我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le) announces that you are leaving before the other people. 先 is important here: it softens the exit by saying that you are the one going first.

Example: 公交车来了，我先走了，拜拜！ (Gōngjiāochē lái le, wǒ xiān zǒu le, bái bái!) – “The bus is here. I’m off. Bye!”

10. Formal Ways to Take Your Leave: 告辞 and 失陪 (gàocí / shīpéi)

告辞 (gàocí) means “to take one’s leave” and suits a formal departure. 失陪 (shīpéi) is closer to “excuse me for leaving your company”, and can also cover stepping away temporarily.

Example: 时间不早了，我先告辞了。 (Shíjiān bù zǎo le, wǒ xiān gàocí le.) – “It’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave.”

Example: 失陪一下。 (Shīpéi yíxià.) – “Excuse me for a moment.”

11. “Let’s Talk Later” in Chinese: 有空再聊 (yǒu kòng zài liáo)

有空再聊 (yǒu kòng zài liáo) means “let’s talk again when we have time”. It closes a chat without suggesting a fixed next meeting.

Example: 我还有事，有空再聊。 (Wǒ hái yǒu shì, yǒu kòng zài liáo.) – “I have something else to do. Let’s talk later.”

12. “See You Next Time” in Chinese: 下次见 (xiàcì jiàn)

下次见 (xiàcì jiàn) means “see you next time”. It is handy when you expect to meet again but do not know the date.

Example: 今天谢谢你，下次见！ (Jīntiān xièxie nǐ, xiàcì jiàn!) – “Thanks for today. See you next time!”

13. “I Enjoyed Our Chat” in Chinese: 今天聊得很开心 (jīntiān liáo de hěn kāixīn)

今天聊得很开心 (jīntiān liáo de hěn kāixīn) closes a good conversation with “I enjoyed our chat today”. Add 下次见 or 再见 to make the farewell explicit.

Example: 今天聊得很开心，下次见！ (Jīntiān liáo de hěn kāixīn, xiàcì jiàn!) – “I enjoyed our chat today. See you next time!”

很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) means “nice to meet you”. It belongs to the introduction itself, though you may repeat the sentiment as a first meeting ends.

14. “Farewell” in Chinese: 再会 (zàihuì)

再会 (zàihuì) is a parting expression meaning “until we meet again”. It can sound more formal or literary than everyday 再见, so do not treat it as the casual equivalent of “later”. The Ministry of Education dictionary labels it as a courteous parting expression.

15. “Keep in Touch” in Chinese: 保持联系 (bǎochí liánxì)

保持联系 (bǎochí liánxì) means “keep in touch”. In a more casual exchange, you may also hear 常联系 (cháng liánxì), “stay in touch often”.

Example: 到家以后给我发消息。我们保持联系！ (Dào jiā yǐhòu gěi wǒ fā xiāoxi. Wǒmen bǎochí liánxì!) – “Message me when you get home. Let’s keep in touch!”

Use it when you mean it. Adding a specific next step, such as sending a message after arriving, makes the phrase useful rather than vague.

How to Practise These Chinese Farewells

Pick four phrases for four real situations: a neutral goodbye, a casual goodbye, a short separation and a journey. Say each one aloud with the sentence that comes just before it. That context is what helps you choose the right phrase when a conversation ends.

1. Read the Chinese and pinyin aloud.
2. Cover the pinyin and retrieve the phrase from the situation.
3. Record a two-line goodbye and compare it with a trusted recording or tutor.
4. Use one phrase in your next lesson, call or message, then note how the other person responds.

For more guided phrase practice, Language Hacking Mandarin builds speaking tasks around the conversations you actually want to have. You can also add a greeting from our guide to saying hello in Chinese, or keep going with these beginner Chinese phrases.