"hello" expression other than "hello"

[Guest Yau]

The break-the-ice expression in china is often about something you've known.

If I meet your friends in a street, I may say:

-Are you going to have rice? (你去食飯嗎?)

-Are you going out? (你出去嗎?)

When I see my neighbour come back and sway the keys, I will also say:

-Are you coming back? (你回來啊?)

-Finished going out? (出完街拿?--cantonese)

I always wonder what english speakers say other than "hello" to break the ice.

[asharpe]

The most common is probably "How are you doing?" when we don't expect the other person to really tell us how they feel. "Howdy" is a shortened form of this. Perhaps "What's up?" might qualify, as well.

[Guest Yau]

This expression often baffles me. How will you answer the question "how's you doing?". Just tell me fine, thanks, bye?

[xuechengfeng]

Yes, precisely. When someone says how are you doing, make sure you typically just say, "Good, u?"

People don't want to hear, "Well, if you must know, my wife is cheating on me, and I hate my job and life."

[Catdiseased]

Its so superficial

I remember that movie...

“您吃了吗？”—“没吃呢！”—“老师，没吃怎么办？”—“没吃回家吃吧！”

[madizi]

When someone says to me "What's up?", then I look up in the sky and tell him that there is nothing UP there.

[nathanuk88]

Hiya is also used as well as Ciao

[Quest]

When someone says to me "What's up?", then I look up in the sky and tell him that there is nothing UP there.

I tell them there's a sky up there.

[geek_frappa]

hey!

[geek_frappa]

did you watch the game?

[GuernseyMatt]

You could also try the Australian "G'day" - short for "good day"

Frankly I find "whats up" quite annoying, its a typical americanism, and only really relevant in america.

If you say "whats up" to european people they will most likely think you are asking them if there is anything wrong, or why they are upset. - so the reply will be a puzzled look and "nothing mate, why whats up with you"

"Hi", or "Hi there --name--", is perfectly acceptable in informal circumstances, but dont worry as "hello" is virtually always good.

[yonglan]

"What's up?"

"A Preposition!"

To answer the original question,

Hi

Hey

Hey, man (can't really say 'Hey woman' I think)

Hey, dude

Hello

Howdy

Howdo or How do?

How are you?

How's it going? or How's it goin'?

How have you been? or How've you been? (my students in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan had the most trouble with this one, for obvious reasons)

How's everything?

How's things? (chiefly British, I think, but I like it and use it in the US)

What's new?

What's happening? or What's happenin'?

What's going on? or What's goin' on?

How's it hanging/in'? (ONLY for men)

This is a partial list.

[Lu]

Meeting a lot of Americans here, and like GuernseyMatt said, their 'what's up' really puzzled me. So I asked an American friend what I was supposed to answer, she confessed to me that when 'what's up' was first becoming liuxing, she didn't understand the question either.

She also told me that the answer to 'what's up' is 'what's up'. But I like 'the sky' too, maybe I'll use that next time :-)

[yonglan]

Lu, What's up has been a popular greeting for decades. The most common responses would be "Not much." or "Nothing much." or "Nothing new."

Or if you had some really cool news, such as "I just got a great new job." or "I got into Xyz University." or something not everyday then you can say so.

[BeijingSlacker]

I've got a couple of questions.For answers, what kind of connotation does " No complains" carry?

To what can you use " the same old thing"?

What about "How goes?" "How things?" How do they sound?

One answer I never use in English is "I am going GREAT ". Maybe it's because we(or at least me) don't normally say that in Chinese. In Chinese, I usually say “还成”(not too bad). I just don't feel comfortable telling people I am doing great although I know it's just one of those things you say.

[BeijingSlacker]

Lots of Chinese learners are taught to say "你好吗” and “马马虎虎”. Looks like everyone knows it. I actually have never used "你好吗”as greeting in my life.

[skylee]

I actually have never used "你好吗”as greeting in my life.

This is quite extreme. I use it from time to time.

[yonglan]

I actually have never used "你好吗”as greeting in my life.

This is quite extreme. I use it from time to time.

I have heard Chinese from the mainland say it's not real Chinese before. And yet, it can occasionally (very occasionally) be heard in Taiwan. Sky Lee is in Hong Kong. So what does this all mean?

I used some Cantonese tapes before and they taught "Nei ho ma?"(don't know the correct romanization). I assumed this was 你好嗎？If yes, could that be the reason a Hong Konger might say it and a Beijinger might not?

[yonglan]

I've got a couple of questions.For answers' date=' what kind of connotation does " No complains" carry?

To what can you use " the same old thing"?

What about "How goes?" "How things?" How do they sound?

One answer I never use in English is "I am going GREAT ". Maybe it's because we(or at least me) don't normally say that in Chinese. In Chinese, I usually say “还成”(not too bad). I just don't feel comfortable telling people I am doing great although I know it's just one of those things you say.

[/quote']

Of course, for greetings, my answers will be my own, and someone else may have rather different opinions.

I think "No complaints." sounds a little depressed.

"I'm doing great" or "I'm Great" or "Great" sound *to me* a bit over the top.

The same old thing, or more likely "Same old, same old" is used in response to "What have you been doing?" or "What have you been up to?" or similar sorts of questions that inquire about what has been happening with you since last they saw you (not yesterday).

"How goes it (with you)?" and "How's things?" are fine. They're not the most common greetings, but not so uncommon that it sounds strange to use them. I use both of them, especially the latter. I like to change up my greetings. Archaic greetings are fun, too

[yonglan]

Lots of Chinese learners are taught to say "你好吗” and “马马虎虎”. Looks like everyone knows it. I actually have never used "你好吗”as greeting in my life.

What about 马马虎虎? Is that uncommon in China? That's common in Taiwan. In fact' date=' [i']some[/i] teenagers will even say "Horse, tiger." in English when they wish to say 马马虎虎.