How to Wish Someone Well in Chinese
Source: Handbridge Mandarin
by Tim Chen
To wish someone well is very important in our daily life. It is vital to build and maintain social relationships. It makes people feel happy and warm. This article will show you how to wish someone well in Chinese.
First, you could start with “祝你 zhù nǐ” when wishing someone well, which means “I wish you…”. For example, “祝你生日快乐 zhù nǐ shēnɡrì kuàilè”.
And here are some types of wishing situations.
Wishing a Happy Birthday
生日快乐 Shēnɡrì kuàilè：Happy birthday
If it is an elder’s birthday, we usually wish them a long life and good health.
身体健康 Shēntǐ jiànkānɡ：Wish you good health
长命百岁 Chánɡmìnɡ bǎisuì：Wish you longevity
福如东海 Fú rú dōnɡhǎi：May your happiness flows like the endless water of the Great Eastern Sea
fu-ru-dong-hai
“福如东海 Fú rú dōnɡhǎi” comes from an old story. Long time ago, one of years in Hainan Island, there was a serious drought and terrible famine sweeping all around the village.
A boy with kindness lived in this village named Ahan coincidentally helped the third princess of the Dragon King in the Eastern Sea.
As a token of her gratitude, the princess returned him a magic code that one’s all wishes would come true provided drinking three times of sea water.
Although within doubts, Ahan still led all villagers to the seaside, the magic code confirmed truly.
From hereafter, wills of villagers were certain to be true as long as they went the seaside and drank the brine for three times.
People in the village consider their happiness was awarded from the Eastern Sea, from which the idiom spread through years of Happiness as immense as the Eastern Sea.
寿比南山 Shòu bǐ nánshān：May you live as long as Southern mountain
福如东海 Fú rú dōnɡhǎi：May your happiness flows like the endless water of the Great Eastern Sea
“寿比南山 Shòu bǐ nánshān” also comes from an old story. One year, the pouring rain lasted continuously seven days and seven nights in Qiongzhou.
At the eighth day, with loud thundering and huge cracking, Qiongzhou was isolated as an Island from main continents.
The natural disaster killed thousands of people, accompanied by rivers diversion and mountains deformation, even some disappeared.
However, there was standing a hill named Nanshan (be known as Aoshan today) with no one wounded, which was totally astounding.
In the tales or legends, all survivals in this crack became immortals with as hundreds years of centenarians in the end.
年年有今日，岁岁有今朝 Niánnián yǒu jīnrì suìsuì yǒu jīnzhāo ：Many happy returns of the day
This sentence literally means “this day comes every year; this moment comes every age”.
Wishing a Happy Marriage
新婚快乐 Xīnhūn kuàilè: Happy wedding day! (Learn more Chinese vocabulary about wedding)
百年好合 Bǎinián hǎo hé：Hope a harmonious union lasting forever
白头偕老 Báitóu xié lǎo：Wish you two a long life together
Wish Business Success
开业大吉 Kāiyè dàjí：Congratulations on your new business
生意兴隆 Shēnɡyì xīnɡLónɡ：Good luck with your business
财源滚滚 Cáiyuán gǔngǔn：profits pouring in from all sides
Wish a good luck
祝你好运 Zhùnǐ hǎoyùn：Good luck
祝你成功 Zhùnǐ chénɡɡōnɡ：Wish you success
Farewell Blessing
一路顺风 Yí lù shùnfēnɡ：Wish you a pleasant journey
一路平安 Yí lù pínɡ’ān：With best wishes for your safe arrival
保重 Bǎozhònɡ：Take care
Hope all these will help you when you are living and working in China. 祝你好运！( Zhùnǐ hǎoyùn!)
If you want to learn more Chinese sayings, you can book a free trial class and let our teachers tell you more!
