nǐmen hǎo: 你们好 - Hello everyone, Hello (plural)

• Keywords: nimen hao, nǐmen hǎo, 你们好, how to say hello to a group in Chinese, hello everyone in Chinese, plural hello Chinese, ni hao vs nimen hao, Chinese greetings for groups, basic Chinese phrases
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese greeting 你们好 (nǐmen hǎo), the correct way to say hello to a group in Chinese. This page explains the key difference between ni hao vs nimen hao, breaks down each character, and provides cultural context. With over 10 practical example sentences, you'll master how and when to use this fundamental phrase to greet two or more people with confidence.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): nǐmen hǎo
• Part of Speech: Interjection / Greeting
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: A greeting used to say “hello” to two or more people.
• In a Nutshell: `你们好 (nǐmen hǎo)` is the direct plural version of the famous `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`. While English uses “hello” for one person or a hundred, Chinese makes a clear distinction. `你们 (nǐmen)` means “you (plural),” so `你们好` is the standard, polite way to greet a group. Think of it as the default greeting when walking into a room with more than one person, from a classroom to a business meeting.

• 你 (nǐ): This character means “you” (singular). It's composed of the “person” radical `亻` and a phonetic component `尔 (ěr)`. For a beginner, simply remember `你` is for addressing one single person.
• 们 (men): This is a crucial particle that makes pronouns plural. It's made of the “person” radical `亻` and `门 (mén)`, meaning “door.” Think of it as the Chinese equivalent of adding “-s” to a pronoun in English to make it plural. It attaches to words like `我 (wǒ)` (I) to make `我们 (wǒmen)` (we), and `他 (tā)` (he) to make `他们 (tāmen)` (they).
• 好 (hǎo): This character means “good” or “well.” It's a beautiful pictograph combining `女 (nǚ)` (woman) and `子 (zǐ)` (child). The ancient image of a mother with her child was seen as the embodiment of all that is “good.”

When combined, `你们好 (nǐmen hǎo)` literally translates to “you all good,” a simple and effective way of extending a friendly greeting and wishing well to an entire group.

While `你们好` isn't a deep philosophical term, its existence highlights a key feature of the Chinese language: clarity in addressing individuals versus groups. In English, saying “Hello” to a room of people is ambiguous. The speaker might be addressing the whole room, or just the one person they made eye contact with. To be clearer, we add words like “everyone,” “all,” or “guys” (e.g., “Hello everyone!”). In Chinese, this distinction is built directly into the grammar with the `们 (men)` suffix. Using `你们好` is a sign of social awareness. It shows that you are not just greeting one person but are acknowledging everyone present. It’s a small, grammatically-required action that reinforces an inclusive and respectful way of communicating. It’s less about collectivism and more about precision and politeness in social address.

`你们好` is a versatile and widely used greeting. Its formality is generally neutral, making it a safe and appropriate choice in most situations.

• In the Classroom: This is one of the first phrases taught. A teacher will enter and say, “同学们好 (tóngxuémen hǎo)!” or “你们好!” and the students will often reply in unison, “老师好 (lǎoshī hǎo)!” (Hello, teacher!).
• Speeches and Presentations: It is a standard and professional way to begin a speech or presentation. The speaker will approach the podium and open with `你们好` or the slightly more formal `大家好 (dàjiā hǎo)` (hello everybody).
• Social Gatherings: When you join a table of friends or are introduced to a group of people at a party, `你们好` is the perfect greeting to say hello to everyone at once.
• Vlogs and Social Media: Chinese vloggers and streamers often start their videos with a cheerful `你们好!` or `哈喽，你们好!` to greet their audience.

While it's always correct, among very close friends or young people, a simple `嗨 (hāi)` or just waving is more common. Using `你们好` with your two best friends might feel a tiny bit formal, but it would never be considered strange or wrong.

• Example 1:
  • 老师走进教室说：“同学们，你们好！”
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī zǒu jìn jiàoshì shuō: “Tóngxuémen, nǐmen hǎo!”
  • English: The teacher walked into the classroom and said: “Classmates, hello everyone!”
  • Analysis: This is a classic textbook example. `同学们 (tóngxuémen)` means “classmates/students,” and addressing them with `你们好` is standard classroom etiquette.
• Example 2:
  • 你们好，我是新来的同事，我叫李明。
  • Pinyin: Nǐmen hǎo, wǒ shì xīn lái de tóngshì, wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng.
  • English: Hello everyone, I am the new colleague, my name is Li Ming.
  • Analysis: A perfect, polite way to introduce yourself to a new group of coworkers.
• Example 3:
  • 主持人：”各位观众，你们好！欢迎收看我们的节目。“
  • Pinyin: Zhǔchírén: “Gèwèi guānzhòng, nǐmen hǎo! Huānyíng shōukàn wǒmen de jiémù.”
  • English: Host: “Hello dear viewers! Welcome to our show.”
  • Analysis: Here, `各位观众 (gèwèi guānzhòng)` is a formal way to say “viewers.” The greeting `你们好` is used to address the entire audience.
• Example 4:
  • 嗨，你们好！好久不见，最近怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Hāi, nǐmen hǎo! Hǎojiǔ bùjiàn, zuìjìn zěnmeyàng?
  • English: Hi, hello everyone! Long time no see, how have you been recently?
  • Analysis: This shows a more casual usage, combining the English loanword `嗨 (hāi)` with `你们好` to greet a group of friends you haven't seen in a while.
• Example 5:
  • 服务员，你们好，请给我们菜单。
  • Pinyin: Fúwùyuán, nǐmen hǎo, qǐng gěi wǒmen càidān.
  • English: Waiters, hello, please give us the menu.
  • Analysis: This is a slightly unusual but possible usage. A customer might say this to get the attention of any available server in a restaurant. More commonly, one might just say `服务员 (fúwùyuán)`.
• Example 6:
  • 你们好，请问，去火车站是走这边吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐmen hǎo, qǐngwèn, qù huǒchēzhàn shì zǒu zhèbiān ma?
  • English: Hello everyone, excuse me, is this the way to the train station?
  • Analysis: A practical example of how to politely ask a group of strangers for directions.
• Example 7:
  • 孩子们看见邻居，一起说：“叔叔阿姨，你们好！”
  • Pinyin: Háizimen kànjiàn línjū, yīqǐ shuō: “Shūshu āyí, nǐmen hǎo!”
  • English: The children saw the neighbors and said together: “Hello, uncle and auntie!”
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to greet a pair or group of elders. `叔叔 (shūshu)` and `阿姨 (āyí)` are general polite titles for adults.
• Example 8:
  • 在视频会议开始时，他说：“你们好，都能听到我说话吗？”
  • Pinyin: Zài shìpín huìyì kāishǐ shí, tā shuō: “Nǐmen hǎo, dōu néng tīngdào wǒ shuōhuà ma?”
  • English: At the beginning of the video conference, he said: “Hello everyone, can you all hear me?”
  • Analysis: A very modern and common usage in the age of remote work.
• Example 9:
  • 别紧张，上台后先跟大家说一声“你们好”。
  • Pinyin: Bié jǐnzhāng, shàngtái hòu xiān gēn dàjiā shuō yīshēng “nǐmen hǎo”.
  • English: Don't be nervous, after you go on stage, first say “hello everyone” to everybody.
  • Analysis: This is advice given to someone before a public performance, highlighting `你们好` as a standard icebreaker.
• Example 10:
  • 虽然我只认识你，但是也请帮我向他们问好，就说“你们好”。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ zhǐ rènshi nǐ, dànshì yě qǐng bāng wǒ xiàng tāmen wènhǎo, jiù shuō “nǐmen hǎo”.
  • English: Although I only know you, please also help me say hi to them, just say “hello everyone.”
  • Analysis: This shows how the phrase can be used indirectly to pass on a greeting to a group.

• The Biggest Mistake: Using `你好` for a Group. The most common error for beginners is to walk into a room of people and say `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`. While people will understand you, it is grammatically incorrect. It sounds like you are singling out one person to greet. Always use `你们好` when addressing more than one person.
  • Incorrect: (Walks into a room with 3 friends) `你好！`
  • Correct: (Walks into a room with 3 friends) `你们好！`
• False Friend: “Hello”. Unlike the English “Hello,” which is a universal greeting, Chinese greetings are more specific. You must choose the right one for the situation.
  • `你好 (nǐ hǎo)`: For one person.
  • `你们好 (nǐmen hǎo)`: For a group of people.
  • `您好 (nín hǎo)`: For one respected person (an elder, a boss, a client). Note: There is no widely used “您们好 (nínmen hǎo)”; people typically switch to `大家好` or other honorifics for a respected group.
• Overly Formal? In very casual settings with close friends your age, `你们好` can feel a little stiff. It's not wrong, but a simple `嗨 (hāi)` or just launching into conversation is often more natural. However, when in doubt, `你们好` is always a safe and polite choice.

• 你好 (nǐ hǎo) - The singular form of “hello,” used when addressing only one person. This is the direct counterpart to `你们好`.
• 大家好 (dàjiā hǎo) - “Hello everybody.” Very similar to `你们好`, but often used for larger groups or audiences. It feels a bit more encompassing, like addressing “the whole crowd.”
• 您好 (nín hǎo) - The formal and respectful version of “hello” for one person, used for elders, teachers, or superiors.
• 老师好 (lǎoshī hǎo) - “Hello, teacher.” A specific greeting showing that greetings in Chinese can be based on a person's title or role.
• 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo) - “Good morning.” A time-specific greeting, unlike the all-day applicability of `你们好`.
• 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo) - “Good evening.” Another common time-specific greeting.
• 们 (men) - The plural suffix for pronouns. Understanding this particle is key to understanding the difference between singular and plural forms like `我 (wǒ)`/`我们 (wǒmen)` and `你 (nǐ)`/`你们 (nǐmen)`.