Nihao (你好) is a common
Mandarin Chinese greeting that translates to "hello" in English. To pronounce it correctly, say "nee how."
Pronouncing "Nihao" Syllable by Syllable
To break down the
pronunciation of nihao, we'll look at it syllable by syllable. The first syllable, "ni" (你) has the sound "nee", which rhymes with "see." The second syllable, "hao" (好), resembles the English word "how."
Getting the Tones Right
Mandarin Chinese is a
tonal language, meaning that the
pitch of a syllable can change the meaning of a word. Nihao has two distinct tones; "ni" (你) is in the third tone, while "hao" (好) is in the fourth tone.
For the third tone, lower your pitch while saying "ni" (你) and then go up slightly, like a scooping motion. "Hao" (好) – the fourth tone – should be pronounced with a sharp, falling pitch. Overall, it should sound like "nee" (rising pitch) "how" (falling pitch).
Listen and Practice
To perfect your pronunciation of nihao, listen to
native Mandarin speakers say the word, and practice mimicking them. You can find various audio and video resources online to help you learn the correct pronunciation, including
language learning websites, podcasts, and video tutorials.
Remember, practice is key in mastering Mandarin pronunciation, so make a habit of saying "nihao" in different conversations and contexts. Soon enough, you'll be saying it like a native speaker.