再见
goodbye
zàijiàn
What does 再见 mean?
再见 (zàijiàn) is the standard Chinese 'goodbye' — literally 'again see,' i.e. 'see (you) again.' It carries the friendly implication that the parting is not final. Unlike 'goodbye' in English, which is fully neutral, 再见 is slightly formal in casual contexts: friends and family more often say 拜拜 (bài bài, from English 'bye-bye'), 走了 (zǒu le, 'I'm off'), or 回头见 (huítóu jiàn, 'see you later'). 再见 is what you say to a teacher, a shopkeeper, a coworker, or someone you just met. The literal structure is also why it pairs perfectly with 你好 — 'hello, see you again' frames the conversation. Same pattern: 明天见 (see you tomorrow), 下次见 (see you next time).
Note: 再见 is the standard parting word. Among close friends, casual 拜拜 (bài bài, from English 'bye') is more common. In texting and online, 88 (bā bā) or 拜 are casual alternatives.
Character breakdown
again; once more
to see; to meet
Memory hook: 再 (again) + 见 (see) = 'see you again' — every Chinese goodbye is also a promise to meet again.
Example sentences
再见，老师！
Zàijiàn, lǎoshī!
Goodbye, teacher!
polite
好的，明天见！
Hǎo de, míngtiān jiàn!
Okay, see you tomorrow!
spoken
我要走了，再见。
Wǒ yào zǒu le, zàijiàn.
I'm leaving now, bye.
neutral
再见，下次再来。
Zàijiàn, xià cì zài lái.
Goodbye, come again next time.
polite
Common phrases with 再见
Synonyms
Casual loan from English 'bye-bye.' Friends, kids, coworkers, phone calls. 再见 is neutral/polite; 拜拜 marks you as casual. Don't say 拜拜 to your boss in a formal meeting.
回头见 specifically means 'see you later [today / soon].' Use it when you know you'll meet again the same day. 再见 is the general 'goodbye' with no timeline implied.
Don't confuse 再见 with
在 (zài) means 'at / in / be located at' or marks a progressive action. 再 (zài) means 'again.' Same pronunciation and tone, completely different characters and uses. 我在家 ('I'm at home') vs 再见 ('goodbye / see you again').
见面 is the verb 'meet / see each other' as an event: 我们见面吧 ('let's meet up'). 再见 is the parting phrase. Both contain 见 but 再见 is a fixed greeting.