All words ›Ni hao
PhraseHow to pronounce “Ni hao” (hello)
你好nǐ hǎo
Literally: you good.
“nee HOW” with both syllables dipping dramatically
ní hǎo — the first syllable rises, only the second dips
Two third tones in a row never survive as written: the first turns into a second tone. So the spelling and the sound part company here.
written: nǐ hǎo→said:ní hǎo
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 你 nǐ | Second tone — rising (written third tone) | ni — open drill → |
| 好 hǎo | Third tone — low dip | hao — open drill → |
This is the textbook example of third-tone sandhi: two third tones in a row, so the first becomes a second tone. The writing keeps nǐ, the mouth says ní.
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Ni hao?
Ni hao is 你好, nǐ hǎo — ní hǎo — the first syllable rises, only the second dips. Literally it means you good.
What is the most common mistake with Ni hao?
“nee HOW” with both syllables dipping dramatically
Is there anything else worth knowing about Ni hao?
This is the textbook example of third-tone sandhi: two third tones in a row, so the first becomes a second tone. The writing keeps nǐ, the mouth says ní.
Why is Ni hao not pronounced the way the tone marks are written?
Two third tones in a row never survive as written: the first turns into a second tone. So the spelling and the sound part company here.
More words people mispronounce
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.