Everyday Chinese phrase
Nice to meet you in Chinese: 很高兴认识你
很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) is a common way to say “Nice to meet you.” 幸会 is a shorter formal greeting, while 久仰 and 请多关照 carry more traditional or business politeness.
Quick answer: 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) means “Nice to meet you.” 幸会 is a shorter formal greeting; 久仰 implies you already know their reputation.
The phrase usually belongs to a first meeting. 认识 means to know or meet someone and 很高兴 means very happy or pleased. The complete sentence is friendly and widely understood, but a formal business introduction may use a different expression.
很高兴认识你
很高兴认识你 is the standard phrase for a first meeting. 认识你很高兴 is another common order and means essentially the same thing. The first form is often easier for learners because it follows “very pleased to meet you.” In casual conversation, people may omit 很 or shorten the sentence for a faster greeting.
幸会: a concise formal greeting
幸会 (xìnghuì) literally suggests a fortunate meeting and is a polite, compact way to say “Pleased to meet you.” It is more formal or literary than 很高兴认识你 and can appear in introductions, banquets, business contexts and traditional social settings.
久仰: I have heard a lot about you
久仰 (jiǔyǎng) means “I have long heard of you” and is used when meeting someone whose reputation or work is already known. It is highly polite and somewhat traditional. It should not be used casually for someone you just met without context, because it implies prior familiarity with their name or reputation.
请多关照 and 请多指教
初次见面，请多关照 (chūcì jiànmiàn, qǐng duō guānzhào) means “This is our first meeting; please take care of me” and is common in formal introductions or business relationships. 请多指教 (qǐng duō zhǐjiào) means “please offer guidance” and can fit study, work or mentorship contexts. Both are polite formulas rather than literal requests for personal care.
见到你很高兴 and 认识你很高兴
见到你很高兴 (jiàndào nǐ hěn gāoxìng) means “I’m glad to see you” and can be used at a meeting or reunion. 认识你很高兴 is more specifically about meeting or becoming acquainted. If you are seeing someone again, 很高兴见到你 may fit better than saying “nice to meet you” as if it were the first time.
Pronunciation and written form
很高兴认识你 is hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. 幸会 is xìnghuì, 久仰 is jiǔyǎng, and 请多关照 is qǐng duō guānzhào. Traditional forms include 很高興認識你, 幸會 and 請多關照. Keep one writing system consistent in a card or formal document.
Politeness and relationship
With friends, 很高兴认识你 is enough. With a client, senior colleague or formal guest, 幸会 or 请多关照 may sound more appropriate. Tone matters more than stacking several polite phrases together; choose one complete greeting and avoid repeating every formula in the same introduction.
What it does not mean
These phrases do not create a friendship, guarantee a business relationship or promise future cooperation. They acknowledge the meeting and establish a polite social tone. The relationship still develops through actions and communication.
Nice to meet you in Chinese questions
How do you say nice to meet you in Chinese?
很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) is the common phrase. 认识你很高兴 is also natural, and 幸会 is a shorter formal alternative.
When should I use 幸会?
幸会 is polite and somewhat formal. It can fit introductions, banquets, business meetings and other settings where a concise respectful greeting is appropriate.
What does 久仰 mean?
久仰 means “I have long heard of you.” It is used when meeting someone with a known reputation and should not be used casually without that context.
What is the difference between 很高兴认识你 and 见到你很高兴?
Both are friendly. 很高兴认识你 emphasizes getting to know the person, while 见到你很高兴 stresses the meeting itself and also works when reconnecting.
How do you say nice to meet you politely?
Replace 你 with 您: 很高兴认识您. It is used with elders, superiors or customers and sounds more formal.
What does 请多关照 mean?
It means roughly “please look after me” or “I look forward to your guidance.” It is a courtesy phrase said once at a formal introduction.
What is the difference between 幸会 and 久仰?
幸会 is a concise, polite “pleased to meet you.” 久仰 means “I’ve long heard of you” and assumes you knew the person’s reputation, so it can sound false with a stranger.
Can 很高兴认识你 be used in email?
Yes. It is a natural opener in email and online meetings. For a group, say 很高兴认识大家; written introductions tend to be slightly more formal.
What is the most natural way to say nice to meet you?
很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) is the standard neutral phrase. 认识你很高兴 is also natural, and 幸会 is a more formal, concise option.
What does 幸会 mean?
幸会 (xìnghuì) means honoured or pleased to meet you. It is formal and often used in business or polite introductions. 幸会幸会 is a friendly double form.
When can I say 久仰?
Use 久仰 or 久仰大名 only when you already know the person’s reputation. It means “I have long heard of you” and is not a neutral first-meeting greeting.
How do I reply to 很高兴认识你?
Say 我也很高兴认识你 (I am also glad to meet you) or the shorter 我也是. In a business setting, 请多关照 or 彼此彼此 may fit better.
Is 请多指教 the same as nice to meet you?
No. 请多指教 means “please give me your guidance” and usually follows an introduction in work, study or professional settings. It is not a direct translation of nice to meet you.
How do I say nice to meet you online?
Introduce yourself first: 你好，我是……，很高兴认识你. In a written message, add your purpose in the next sentence so the greeting is not a bare formality.
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Send whether this is a first meeting or reunion, the relationship and the formality of the setting. A reply can explain the tone.
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Nice to meet you has a politeness ladder
很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) is the standard neutral way to say “nice to meet you.” 很高兴见到你 is similar but can emphasise the act of meeting; 认识你很高兴 puts the feeling after the action and is also natural. 幸会 (xìnghuì) is more formal and concise, often used in business or polite introductions. 久仰 (jiǔyǎng) means “I have long heard of you” and should not be used when you have never heard of the person. 请多关照 and 请多指教 follow an introduction and ask for future guidance, especially in work or formal relationships.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English feel | Best setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 很高兴认识你 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Nice to meet you | Neutral and safe for most first meetings. |
| 很高兴见到你 | hěn gāoxìng jiàndào nǐ | Glad to meet you | When the meeting itself is the focus; common in spoken introductions. |
| 认识你很高兴 | rènshi nǐ hěn gāoxìng | Happy to know you | A natural reordered variant, often slightly warmer or more formal. |
| 幸会 | xìnghuì | Honoured to meet you | Formal, business or polite social introductions. 幸会幸会 is a friendly double form. |
| 久仰 / 久仰大名 | jiǔyǎng / jiǔyǎng dàmíng | I have long heard of you | Only when you already know the person’s reputation. It is flattery, not a neutral greeting. |
| 请多关照 | qǐng duō guānzhào | Please look after me | After an introduction to a colleague, senior or business contact; it asks for future support. |
| 请多指教 | qǐng duō zhǐjiào | Please give me your guidance | Formal and common in work, study, performance or professional contexts. |
With a close friend, 很高兴认识你 can sound oddly formal if you have already known each other for years. With a senior client, 幸会 or 请多指教 may fit better than a casual 你好. The relationship, setting and purpose matter more than length.
Replies and follow-up
How to reply to 很高兴认识你
“我也很高兴认识你” (I am also glad to meet you) is a safe reply. 我也是 (me too) is shorter and conversational. 幸会 can be returned with 幸会幸会 or 彼此彼此. In a business introduction, reply with 请多关照 or 请多指教 when the relationship is appropriate. Do not automatically repeat 久仰 unless you genuinely know the person’s reputation; otherwise it sounds like empty flattery.
| They say | You can reply | Pinyin | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 很高兴认识你。 | 我也很高兴认识你。 | wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Warm and complete; good for most settings. |
| 很高兴认识你。 | 我也是。 | wǒ yě shì | Short, friendly and natural in conversation. |
| 幸会。 | 幸会幸会。 | xìnghuì xìnghuì | Polite and slightly formal; pairs well with a handshake or nod. |
| 请多关照。 | 彼此彼此，也请你多关照。 | bǐcǐ bǐcǐ, yě qǐng nǐ duō guānzhào | Reciprocal and business-friendly. |
| 久仰大名。 | 哪里哪里，您太客气了。 | nǎlǐ nǎlǐ, nín tài kèqi le | A humble response to praise or flattery. |
In a video call or online meeting, introduce yourself with your name before the greeting: 你好，我是……，很高兴认识你. In a written message, add a clear purpose in the next sentence. A bare 很高兴认识你 is polite but does not tell the reader what you need.
Pronunciation and mistakes
Saying it naturally
- 高兴 is gāoxìng, with a first tone and fourth tone.
- 认识 is rènshi; the second syllable is normally neutral in this word.
- 幸会 is xìnghuì, not xīnghuì. Listen for the fourth tone on 幸.
- 久仰 is jiǔyǎng; do not use it as a generic “nice to meet you” when you have no prior context.
- 请多指教 is more common in study or professional settings than at a casual party.
The biggest mistake is choosing the longest or most literary phrase to sound polite. In ordinary conversation, 很高兴认识你 or 认识你很高兴 is enough. Reserve 幸会, 久仰 and 请多指教 for the settings that actually call for them, and match your facial expression and tone to the words.
First meeting: 很高兴认识你 and its variants
很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) is the standard, friendly way to say “nice to meet you,” literally “very glad to know you.” 见到你很高兴 (“glad to see you”) stresses the meeting itself and fits both first meetings and reconnections. 认识你很高兴 is essentially the same as 很高兴认识你 with the elements reordered; word order shifts emphasis slightly but the meaning is unchanged. With an elder, superior or customer, replacing 你 with 您 gives 很高兴认识您 and sounds more polite.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 很高兴认识你 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ | Nice to meet you | General, friendly |
| 很高兴认识您 | hěn gāoxìng rènshi nín | Nice to meet you (polite) | Elder, client, formal |
| 见到你很高兴 | jiàndào nǐ hěn gāoxìng | Glad to see you | First meeting or reconnection |
| 幸会 | xìnghuì | Very pleased to meet you | Formal, slightly literary |
| 久仰 | jiǔyǎng | I have long heard of you | Formal praise, not casual |
| 请多关照 | qǐng duō guānzhào | Please look after me / I look forward to your guidance | Business or new role |
很高兴认识你 is the safe general phrase. 幸会 and 久仰 are more formal and can sound excessive in a casual meeting; 久仰 specifically implies that you already knew the person’s reputation. 请多关照 belongs more to business or a new working relationship than to a first social introduction.
Business cards and formal introductions
In business meetings, 很高兴认识你 is often said as business cards are exchanged. 名片 (míngpiàn) is the word for a business card, and it is customary to present and receive it with both hands and a slight nod, reading the surname first. A formal introduction may add 请多关照 (“please look after me” / “I look forward to your guidance”), a courtesy phrase that marks the start of a working relationship. It is said once, at the introduction, rather than repeated later.
Replying to 很高兴认识你
The simplest reply is to return the phrase: 我也很高兴认识你 (“I’m glad to meet you too”). 幸会 (xìnghuì) is a concise, somewhat formal “pleased to meet you,” and 久仰 (“I’ve long heard of you”) is a flattering formal phrase for someone well known. These are not interchangeable: 幸会 is neat and polite, while 久仰 assumes you already knew of the person’s reputation, so using it for a stranger can sound false.
Online meetings and written introductions
The phrase works in writing too. In an email or an online meeting, 很高兴认识你 or 很高兴认识大家 is a natural opener. When addressing a group, 大家 (“everyone”) replaces 你. Written introductions are often slightly more formal than spoken ones, so 很高兴认识您 and 幸会 appear more often in email than in casual speech. As always, the register should match the setting rather than simply mirroring an English template.
Related everyday phrases
Nice to meet you 很高兴认识你 sits among these expressions, but the polite or natural choice still depends on the relationship, time of day and whether the setting is spoken or written.