Lesson 1: 校园问候与再见 (Academic Greetings and Farewells)

你好

Pinyin: nǐ hǎo

Meaning: Hello

Characters: 你 (nǐ) = You 好 (hǎo) = Good / fine

Literal meaning: "You good"

Usage: A standard greeting.

好

Pinyin: hǎo

Meaning: Good; fine

Character components: 女 = Woman 子 = Child

Example: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) = Hello.

学生

Pinyin: xuésheng

Meaning: Student

Characters: 学 (xué) = Study / learn 生 (shēng) = Birth / life; used in words for people

Example: 学生们 = Students.

老师

Pinyin: lǎoshī

Meaning: Teacher

Characters: 老 (lǎo) = Old / experienced 师 (shī) = Teacher / master

Culture: Students commonly address teachers as 老师 or surname + 老师.

梅老师

Pinyin: Méi lǎoshī

Meaning: Teacher Mei / Ms. Mei

Characters: 梅 (Méi) = Surname Mei 老师 (lǎoshī) = Teacher

Grammar: Surname + professional title.

小博

Pinyin: Xiǎo Bó

Meaning: Xiao Bo (a person's name)

Characters: 小 (xiǎo) = Small / little 博 (bó) = Broad / learned

Note: Learn this as a name rather than memorising its literal meaning.

们

Pinyin: men (neutral tone)

Meaning: Plural suffix

Grammar: Used after personal pronouns and certain nouns referring to people.

Examples: 你 + 们 = 你们 (You all) 同学 + 们 = 同学们 (Classmates)

您

Pinyin: nín

Meaning: You (polite / respectful, singular)

Compare: 你 (nǐ) = You 您 (nín) = You (respectful)

Example: 您好 = Hello (politely).

Grammar: 您 is not the plural form of 你.

你们

Pinyin: nǐmen

Meaning: You (plural) / You all

Characters: 你 (nǐ) = You 们 (men) = Plural suffix

Example: 你们好！= Hello, you all!

同学

Pinyin: tóngxué

Meaning: Classmate / Fellow student

Characters: 同 (tóng) = Same / together 学 (xué) = Learn / study

Example: 同学们 = Classmates.

大家

Pinyin: dàjiā

Meaning: Everybody / Everyone

Characters: 大 (dà) = Big 家 (jiā) = Home / family

Example: 大家再见！= Goodbye, everyone!

谢谢

Pinyin: xièxie

Meaning: Thank you

Characters: 谢 (xiè) = Thank

Pronunciation: The second 谢 has a neutral tone.

Example: 谢谢老师！= Thank you, teacher!

不客气

Pinyin: bú kèqi

Meaning: You're welcome / Don't mention it

Characters: 不 (bù / bú) = Not 客气 (kèqi) = Polite / formal

Usage: A natural response to 谢谢.

Pronunciation: 不 changes to bú before a fourth-tone syllable.

再见

Pinyin: zàijiàn

Meaning: Goodbye / See you again

Characters: 再 (zài) = Again 见 (jiàn) = See / meet

Literal meaning: "See again"

老师，你好！

Pinyin: lǎoshī, nǐ hǎo!

Meaning: Hello, teacher!

Dialogue 1: Lin greets Teacher Mei.

Grammar: Title + greeting.

您好！

Pinyin: nín hǎo!

Meaning: Hello! (respectful / polite)

Characters: 您 (nín) = You (respectful) 好 (hǎo) = Good

Grammar: Use 您 instead of 你 to show respect.

老师，您好！

Pinyin: lǎoshī, nín hǎo!

Meaning: Hello, teacher! (respectful)

Grammar: 老师 = Teacher 您好 = Polite hello

Compare: 老师，你好！= Hello, teacher! 老师，您好！= Hello, teacher! (more respectful)

同学们好！

Pinyin: tóngxuémen hǎo!

Meaning: Hello, classmates! / Hello, class!

Dialogue 2: Teacher Mei greets the students.

Breakdown: 同学 = Classmate 们 = Plural suffix 好 = Greeting

你们好！

Pinyin: nǐmen hǎo!

Meaning: Hello, you all!

Dialogue 2: Teacher Mei addresses multiple people.

Grammar: 你 = You 们 = Plural suffix 好 = Greeting

谢谢老师！大家再见！

Pinyin: xièxie lǎoshī! Dàjiā zàijiàn!

Meaning: Thank you, teacher! Goodbye, everyone!

Dialogue 3: Lin thanks the teacher and says goodbye.

Useful patterns: 谢谢 + person = Thank someone 大家 + 再见 = Goodbye, everyone

老师，再见！

Pinyin: lǎoshī, zàijiàn!

Meaning: Goodbye, teacher!

Dialogue 3: Bo says goodbye to Teacher Mei.

Pattern: Person / title + 再见.

同学们，再见！

Pinyin: tóngxuémen, zàijiàn!

Meaning: Goodbye, classmates!

Dialogue 3: Teacher Mei says goodbye to the students.

Characters: 同学们 = Classmates 再见 = Goodbye

GRAMMAR: 你 vs 您

Topic: Polite forms of "you"

你 (nǐ) = You (ordinary) 您 (nín) = You (respectful, singular)

Rule: Use 您 to show respect, for example when addressing teachers or elders.

Examples: 你好！= Hello! 您好！= Hello! (respectful) 老师，您好！= Hello, teacher! (respectful)

Remember: 您 is not plural.

GRAMMAR: How do you make "you" plural?

Topic: Plural suffix 们 (men)

Rule: Add 们 after personal pronouns to indicate a plural.

Examples: 你 (nǐ) = You 你们 (nǐmen) = You all

同学 (tóngxué) = Classmate 同学们 (tóngxuémen) = Classmates

Remember: 们 is not used after every noun.

GRAMMAR: How do you greet a group?

Topic: Group greetings

Pattern: Person / group + 好

Examples: 你们好！= Hello, you all! 同学们好！= Hello, classmates! 大家好！= Hello, everyone!

Key idea: Chinese greetings can identify the person or group first.

CULTURE: How should you address a teacher in Chinese?

Topic: Addressing teachers respectfully

Common forms: 老师 (lǎoshī) = Teacher 梅老师 (Méi lǎoshī) = Teacher Mei

Rule: Surname + 老师

Culture: The lesson explains that addressing teachers by their title is polite and respectful.

CHARACTER: 你

Pinyin: nǐ

Meaning: You

Appears in: 你好 = Hello 你们 = You all

Character structure: 亻 = Person component on the left

Writing: Practise recognising and tracing the character.

CHARACTER: 好

Pinyin: hǎo

Meaning: Good / fine

Appears in: 你好 = Hello 您好 = Hello (respectful) 同学们好 = Hello, classmates

Character structure: 女 = Woman 子 = Child

CHARACTER: 学

Pinyin: xué

Meaning: Study / learn

Appears in: 学生 = Student 同学 = Classmate

Character structure: The bottom component is 子.

Writing: Practise recognising and tracing the character.

CHARACTER: 生

Pinyin: shēng

Meaning: Birth / life / to be born

Appears in: 学生 (xuésheng) = Student

Pronunciation: In 学生, the second syllable is normally neutral tone.

CHARACTER: 老

Pinyin: lǎo

Meaning: Old

Appears in: 老师 (lǎoshī) = Teacher

Note: In 老师, this character is part of the normal respectful word for a teacher.