A2 interjection Informal #2,000 most common 1 min read

好久不见

haojiubujian /xɑ̀u tɕjòu pú tɕjɛ̂n/
Practice it

A warm and essential phrase to reconnect with friends after a long absence.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Used to greet someone you haven't seen for a while.
  • Equivalent to the English phrase 'Long time no see'.
  • Casual and friendly expression for friends and acquaintances.

Overview

  1. 1概述：‘好久不见’是汉语中最具代表性的问候语之一，意为‘Long time no see’。它不仅是一句问候，更体现了人与人之间重逢时的亲切感与时间流逝的感慨。2) 使用模式：该词通常独立使用，或者放在句首作为寒暄的开始。在非正式场合，人们往往会紧接着询问对方的近况，例如‘好久不见，你最近怎么样？’。3) 常见语境：适用于朋友、同事、同学或熟人之间。如果双方已经很久没有联系，使用这个词可以迅速拉近距离，缓解因长期疏远而产生的尴尬。4) 近义词比较：与‘最近好吗’相比，‘好久不见’更强调‘时间跨度’；与‘幸会’相比，‘好久不见’仅用于彼此认识的旧友，而‘幸会’用于初次见面。

Examples

1

好久不见，你最近怎么样？

everyday

Long time no see, how have you been lately?

2

久违了，张先生。

formal

It has been a long time, Mr. Zhang.

3

嘿，好久不见！

informal

Hey, long time no see!

4

好久不见，你变了很多。

academic

Long time no see, you have changed a lot.

Common Collocations

好久不见了 Haven't seen you for a long time (with particle 'le')
真的好久不见 Really haven't seen you for a long time
好久不见，甚是想念 Long time no see, I've missed you very much

Common Phrases

好久不见，别来无恙

Long time no see, I hope everything has been well with you.

好久不见，你还是老样子

Long time no see, you haven't changed a bit.

真是好久不见了

It really has been a long time.

Often Confused With

好久不见 vs 久仰

Used when meeting someone for the first time but having heard of their reputation. It is formal.

好久不见 vs 幸会

Used for a first-time meeting to express pleasure. It does not imply a previous relationship.

Grammar Patterns

好久不见，[询问对方近况] [主语] + 好久不见 好久不见 + [称呼]

How to Use It

Usage Notes

This phrase is essentially informal to neutral. It is widely used in daily life among friends and peers. Avoid using it in highly professional or strictly formal written reports.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes use it when meeting someone for the first time, which is incorrect. It must be used only with people you have met before. Do not add extra words inside the phrase.

Tips

💡

Use it to break the ice

It is the perfect icebreaker when you run into an old friend unexpectedly. It shows you value the relationship.

⚠️

Avoid with superiors

Do not use this with your boss or elders in a formal context as it may sound too casual or disrespectful.

🌍

The origin of the English phrase

Interestingly, the English phrase 'Long time no see' is a direct calque from the Chinese '好久不见'.

Word Origin

The phrase is native Chinese. It became famous internationally because the English idiom 'Long time no see' is a direct calque (word-for-word translation) of this Chinese phrase.

Cultural Context

In Chinese culture, acknowledging the length of time since a meeting shows you value the relationship. It is a warm, human-centric way to start a conversation.

Memory Tip

Think of it as 'Good (好) - Long (久) - Not (不) - See (见)'. It's a literal map of time passing since the last encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

不可以。这个词仅用于曾经认识且有一段时间未见的人，对陌生人使用会显得非常奇怪。

在商务或正式场合，建议使用更礼貌的表达，如“久违了”或“很高兴再次见到您”。

不可以。这是一个固定的词组，改变语序会使其失去原有的意思。

通常接询问对方近况的话语，例如“最近还好吗？”或“最近在忙什么？”。

Test Yourself

fill blank

小王，___！我们有五年没见了吧？

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 好久不见

因为两人有五年没见，所以用“好久不见”最合适。

multiple choice

你今天在街上遇到了大学时期的好朋友。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 向大学老友打招呼

该词用于熟人重逢。

sentence building

好久 / 我们 / 不见

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 我们好久不见

主语放在前面，词组固定。

Score: /3

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