Speaking • Social & Introductions
Meeting Someone New in Mandarin Chinese
From the first handshake to swapping WeChat contacts, this page covers everything you need to navigate a new encounter in Mandarin — whether at a social event, business meeting, or chance encounter.
First Meeting Phrases
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
很高兴认识你 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Nice to meet you (standard) |
久仰大名 | jiǔ yǎng dà míng | I've long heard of your reputation (formal) |
幸会幸会 | xìnghuì xìnghuì | It's an honour to meet you (very formal) |
我早就想见你了 | wǒ zǎo jiù xiǎng jiàn nǐ le | I've been wanting to meet you for a long time |
你好，初次见面 | nǐ hǎo, chūcì jiànmiàn | Hello, this is our first time meeting |
彼此彼此 | bǐcǐ bǐcǐ | Likewise / Same to you (reciprocating a compliment) |
请问，你是…吗？ | qǐngwèn, nǐ shì… ma? | Excuse me, are you…? (approaching someone you think you know) |
认识你很开心 | rènshi nǐ hěn kāixīn | I'm happy to know you / meet you |
Follow-Up Conversation Starters
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
你是第一次来这里吗？ | nǐ shì dì yī cì lái zhèlǐ ma? | Is this your first time here? |
你在这里住多久了？ | nǐ zài zhèlǐ zhù duōjiǔ le? | How long have you been living here? |
你喜欢中国吗？ | nǐ xǐhuān zhōngguó ma? | Do you like China? |
你学中文多久了？ | nǐ xué zhōngwén duōjiǔ le? | How long have you been learning Chinese? |
你的中文说得很好！ | nǐ de zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo! | Your Chinese is very good! |
你平时喜欢做什么？ | nǐ píngshí xǐhuān zuò shénme? | What do you usually like to do? |
你有兴趣吗？ | nǐ yǒu xìngqù ma? | Are you interested? |
我们有很多共同点 | wǒmen yǒu hěn duō gòngtóngdiǎn | We have a lot in common |
Exchanging Contact Information
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
能给我你的联系方式吗？ | néng gěi wǒ nǐ de liánxì fāngshì ma? | Can you give me your contact details? |
你用微信吗？ | nǐ yòng wēixìn ma? | Do you use WeChat? |
加一下微信吧 | jiā yīxià wēixìn ba | Let's add each other on WeChat |
我扫你的二维码 | wǒ sǎo nǐ de èrwéimǎ | I'll scan your QR code |
你的电话号码是多少？ | nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ shì duōshǎo? | What is your phone number? |
我们保持联系 | wǒmen bǎochí liánxì | Let's keep in touch |
改天再聊 | gǎitiān zài liáo | Let's chat again another day |
希望我们以后还能见面 | xīwàng wǒmen yǐhòu hái néng jiànmiàn | I hope we can meet again in the future |
Usage Notes
In mainland China, swapping WeChat (微信 Wēixìn) QR codes has almost entirely replaced exchanging phone numbers. Saying 加一下微信吧 ('let's add each other on WeChat') is perfectly natural within minutes of meeting someone new.
When someone compliments you ('your Chinese is great!'), a humble and common response is 彼此彼此 (bǐcǐ bǐcǐ), meaning 'same to you / likewise'. It deflects the compliment gracefully and keeps the exchange warm. In Taiwan this is used similarly.
Asking someone's age (你几岁？ or 你多大？) is not rude in Chinese culture among peers and acquaintances. However, with older strangers it is better to ask indirectly or not at all. Among close friends age questions are entirely normal.