致以诚挚问候

Using this phrase correctly is all about the 'Subject + 向 + Recipient + 致以诚挚问候' structure. You are 'extending' (致以) the greeting 'toward' (向) someone. For example, if you are writing a New Year's card to your former professor, you would say: 学生向您致以诚挚问候. It is very common to see it at the beginning of formal letters or near the end as a closing sentiment. In the digital age, you will see it in the first paragraph of a LinkedIn message when reaching out to a mentor or a high-level recruiter. It sets a tone of professionalism right from the jump. You can also use it in speeches. If you are representing your company at a conference, you might start with: 我谨代表公司向各位致以诚挚问候 (I would like to extend sincere greetings to everyone on behalf of the company). Just remember, this is a 'formal event' phrase. Using it while buying a bubble tea is a great way to get a very confused look from the cashier! It would be like wearing a tuxedo to a swimming pool.

This phrase sits firmly in the 'Formal' to 'Very Formal' category. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is 'Sup' and 10 is 'Imperial Decree,' this is a solid 8.5. It is the gold standard for business correspondence, diplomatic exchanges, and academic letters. You will almost never hear this in a casual spoken conversation between friends. If you said this to your best friend while playing Valorant, they would probably ask if you have been hacked by an 18th-century poet. However, in the world of professional networking, it is your best friend. It bridges the gap between being too cold (just 'Hello') and too personal (using 'Dear friend'). It shows that you understand Chinese social hierarchy and the importance of 'Mianzi' (Face). By using such a polished phrase, you are giving the recipient 'Face' by treating the interaction with the seriousness it deserves.

Imagine you are a travel vlogger visiting a traditional village in Sichuan. You meet the village elder. Instead of a casual 你好, you say 向您致以诚挚问候. The elder will immediately see you as a respectful, well-educated guest. Or, think about a Zoom interview for a job in Shanghai. As you sign off, you say, 再次向贵公司致以诚挚问候. It leaves a lasting impression of grace. You will also see this phrase all over official WeChat 'Public Accounts' (公众号). When a brand or a government office releases a statement during a holiday like Mid-Autumn Festival, they will almost always lead with this. Even in the world of Netflix subtitles, when a character is writing an official letter to a king or a CEO, 致以诚挚问候 is the go-to translation for 'Respectful greetings.' It is the linguistic 'prestige' skin of the Chinese language world.

Timing is everything. This phrase is a winner for holiday greetings to clients—think Lunar New Year or even the Western New Year if you are working with international teams. It is also perfect for 'Thank You' notes after a formal meeting. If someone has hosted you for a business dinner, sending a follow-up message that includes 向您的家人致以诚挚问候 (Extend sincere greetings to your family) is a masterclass in Chinese etiquette. It is also highly effective when you are the 'new person.' Whether you are joining a new Slack workspace or sending your first email to a thesis advisor, it establishes you as someone who takes things seriously. It is also great for captions on professional Instagram posts, like when a company celebrates its 10th anniversary. It is the 'Little Black Dress' of Chinese phrases—it never goes out of style and works for any serious occasion.

Avoid this phrase in the 'inner circle.' If you are texting your siblings, your spouse, or your childhood friends, stay far away from this. Using it there makes you sound incredibly distant or even sarcastic. Don't use it in high-speed, casual environments like gaming chats, TikTok comment sections (unless you're being ironically formal for a joke), or when ordering food on Meituan. It is also a bit much for a quick check-in with a colleague you talk to every single day. If you use it too often with people you are close to, they might start wondering if you are about to ask for a very large loan or deliver some bad news. It is a 'high-value' phrase, so don't spend it on trivial interactions. Keep it in your pocket for when you really need to shine.

One funny mistake is using 致以 with physical objects. You can't 致以 a pizza to your friend. Well, you can try, but the grammar police will be very unhappy, and your friend will just be hungry.

If you want to spice things up or adjust the 'flavor' of your greeting, you can swap out the adjectives. 致以亲切问候 (Zhì yǐ qīnqiè wènhòu) means 'Extend cordial/warm greetings.' It is a tiny bit less stiff and more 'friendly-professional.' 致以节日问候 (Zhì yǐ jiérì wènhòu) is specifically for holidays. It literally means 'Extend holiday greetings.' If you want to go full-on diplomat mode, you could use 致以崇高敬意 (Zhì yǐ chónggāo jìngyì), which means 'Extend highest respects.' That one is for when you are talking to someone really, really important, like a world leader or your grandma when she's made your favorite dumplings. In the South of China or Hong Kong, you might hear more colloquial versions, but in written Mandarin, 致以诚挚问候 remains the undisputed king of formal openings.

Is this used in emails? Yes, absolutely! It is one of the best ways to start or end a formal email to someone you don't know well. Should I say this out loud? Only in very formal situations, like a wedding toast, a business presentation, or when meeting an elder for the first time. Is it the same as 祝好? No, 祝好 (Best regards) is much shorter and more common in daily professional emails. 致以诚挚问候 is more 'grand' and formal. Can I use it on social media? Yes, for professional announcements on LinkedIn or official brand pages, but it's too heavy for a casual selfie caption! What if I forget the 致以? If you just say 诚挚问候, it sounds like a fragment. The verb 致以 is what gives the sentence its action and formal 'weight.' Don't leave it behind!