You’re texting your friend in China late at night and want to sound sweet and natural…
Ever been there?
You’re chatting with a friend, a new acquaintance, or even your crush in China, and the conversation winds down. It’s getting late, and you want to say good night — but not just any good night. You want to sound natural, warm, and maybe even a little bit sweet. You want to connect on a deeper level, showing you understand more than just basic phrases.
Well, you’re in luck!
Saying good night in Chinese is an art form, with different expressions for different situations and relationships. From formal goodbyes to cute whispers, Chinese offers a rich tapestry of ways to wish someone a peaceful night.
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How to Say Good Night in Chinese
The most common and versatile way to say good night in Chinese is 晚安 (wǎn ān). It’s like the Swiss Army knife of goodnights — you can use it in almost any situation, whether you’re talking to family, friends, or even someone you’ve just met.
Let’s break it down:
- 晚 (wǎn): This character means “evening” or “late.” Think of the sun setting and the day winding down.
- 安 (ān): This character means “peace,” “quiet,” or “safety.” It brings a feeling of calm and tranquility.
So, when you put them together, 晚安 (wǎn ān) literally means “peaceful evening” or “late peace.” It’s a beautiful way to wish someone a calm and restful night.
Cultural Tip: While 晚安 (wǎn ān) is widely used, Chinese culture often expresses care through actions rather than direct emotional words. So, telling someone to “rest well” or “sleep early” can sometimes convey more warmth than a simple “good night.”
Good Night in Chinese Pinyin and English Translation
Here’s a quick look at the most common way to say good night:
| Chinese | Pinyin | English Translation |
| 晚安 | wǎn ān | Good night / Peaceful evening |
Variations & Common Phrases
Beyond the basic 晚安 (wǎn ān), there are many other lovely ways to wish someone a good night in Chinese, each with its own special touch.
1. Thank you, have a good night
To add a “thank you” before wishing someone a good night, you can say:
- 谢谢，晚安 (xiè xie, wǎn ān) – Thank you, good night.
2. Good night and sweet dreams
Want to wish someone sweet dreams? Here are a couple of ways:
- 晚安，好梦 (wǎn ān, hǎo mèng) – Good night, sweet dreams. This is a very common and sweet way to say it.
- 祝你有个美梦 (zhù nǐ yǒu gè měi mèng) – Wishing you beautiful dreams. This is a bit more poetic and heartfelt.
3. Sleep well
To tell someone to sleep well, you can use:
- 睡个好觉 (shuì gè hǎo jiào) – Have a good sleep. This is a friendly and common phrase.
- 好好休息 (hǎo hǎo xiū xi) – Rest well / Have a good rest. This shows you care about their well-being.
4. I love you, good night
For those special people, you can combine “I love you” with good night:
- 我爱你，晚安 (wǒ ài nǐ, wǎn ān) – I love you, good night.
Beautiful good night
While 晚安 (wǎn ān) already implies a peaceful and good night, you can emphasize the “beautiful” aspect with phrases like:
- 祝你有个美梦 (zhù nǐ yǒu gè měi mèng) – Wishing you beautiful dreams (as mentioned above).
Audience-Specific Variations
The way you say good night can change depending on who you’re talking to. Here are some ideas for different audiences:
Saying good night to a girl (include romantic/cute examples)
For a girlfriend, wife, or someone you want to be sweet with:
| Chinese Phrase | Pinyin | English Meaning | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晚安，宝贝 | wǎn ān, bǎo bèi | Good night, baby/darling | Common and affectionate |
| 晚安，甜心 | wǎn ān, tián xīn | Good night, sweetheart | Cute and loving |
| 晚安，做个好梦 | wǎn ān, zuò gè hǎo mèng | Good night, have a good dream | Simple and sweet |
| 晚安，小可爱 | wǎn ān, xiǎo kě ài | Good night, cutie | Playful and sweet |
| 晚安，亲爱的 | wǎn ān, qīn ài de | Good night, dear | Classic romantic |
| 晚安，我的全世界 | wǎn ān, wǒ de quán shì jiè | Good night, my whole world | Poetic and deep |
| 晚安，梦里见 | wǎn ān, mèng lǐ jiàn | Good night, see you in my dreams | Tender and dreamy |
| 晚安，我的小猫咪 | wǎn ān, wǒ de xiǎo māo mī | Good night, my little kitty | Cute and playful |
| 晚安，想你了 | wǎn ān, xiǎng nǐ le | Good night, I miss you | Sweet and direct |
| 晚安，宝贝好梦 | wǎn ān, bǎo bèi hǎo mèng | Good night, baby, sweet dreams | Soft and gentle |
| 晚安，我的心肝 | wǎn ān, wǒ de xīn gān | Good night, my sweetheart | Deeply affectionate |
| 晚安，爱你哟 | wǎn ān, ài nǐ yō | Good night, love you~ | Cutesy and flirty |
| 晚安，今晚梦到我 | wǎn ān, jīn wǎn mèng dào wǒ | Good night, dream of me tonight | Romantic and cheeky |
Saying good night to friends
With friends, you can be more casual:
| Chinese Phrase | Pinyin | English Meaning | Tone/Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晚安啦 | wǎn ān la | Good night (with a casual particle) | Relaxed and friendly |
| 早点休息 | zǎo diǎn xiū xi | Rest early | Caring and thoughtful |
| 睡了 | shuì le | Going to sleep | Super informal, like “gn” in English |
| 晚安咯 | wǎn ān lo | Nighty night | Playful and chill |
| 明天见 | míng tiān jiàn | See you tomorrow | Friendly and natural |
| 快去睡吧 | kuài qù shuì ba | Go sleep now | Light, caring nudge |
| 别熬夜哦 | bié áo yè o | Don’t stay up too late | Casual warning with care |
| 晚安，做个美梦 | wǎn ān, zuò gè měi mèng | Good night, sweet dreams | Friendly and warm |
| 睡觉时间到啦 | shuì jiào shí jiān dào la | Sleep time is here | Playful and casual |
| 闲聊明天继续 | xián liáo míng tiān jì xù | Let’s chat more tomorrow | Chill and familiar |
Saying good night to children
When putting little ones to bed, you can use gentle and encouraging phrases:
| Chinese Phrase | Pinyin | English Meaning | Tone/Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晚安，宝贝 | wǎn ān, bǎo bèi | Good night, baby | Soft and loving |
| 睡个甜甜的觉 | shuì gè tián tián de jiào | Have a sweet sleep | Very endearing |
| 闭上眼睛，睡觉觉 | bì shàng yǎn jīng, shuì jiào jiào | Close your eyes, sleep-sleep | Cute, gentle tone |
| 小宝贝，晚安啦 | xiǎo bǎo bèi, wǎn ān la | Little baby, good night | Friendly and affectionate |
| 宝宝，快快睡觉 | bǎo bǎo, kuài kuài shuì jiào | Baby, go to sleep quickly | Soothing and encouraging |
| 星星陪你睡觉 | xīng xīng péi nǐ shuì jiào | The stars will sleep with you | Magical and comforting |
| 梦里有糖果哦 | mèng lǐ yǒu táng guǒ o | There’s candy in your dreams | Playful and imaginative |
| 小眼睛闭上咯 | xiǎo yǎn jīng bì shàng lo | Little eyes, close up now | Gentle and guiding |
| 抱抱你，晚安 | bào bào nǐ, wǎn ān | Hugs for you, good night | Loving and reassuring |
| 月亮来看你啦 | yuè liàng lái kàn nǐ la | The moon came to see you | Whimsical and calming |
Saying good night to your crush
This can be tricky! You want to be warm but not too forward. Here are some options:
| Chinese Phrase | Pinyin | English Meaning | Tone/Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 晚安 | wǎn ān | Good night | Safe and simple |
| 早点休息哦 | zǎo diǎn xiū xi o | Rest early, okay? | Caring and light |
| 祝你晚安，好梦 | zhù nǐ wǎn ān, hǎo mèng | Wishing you good night, sweet dreams | Warm and gentle |
| 晚安，别太晚睡哦 | wǎn ān, bié tài wǎn shuì o | Good night, don’t sleep too late | Thoughtful and caring |
| 晚安啦，别熬夜 | wǎn ān la, bié áo yè | Nighty night, don’t stay up | Casual and cute |
| 今晚也要早点睡哦 | jīn wǎn yě yào zǎo diǎn shuì o | Sleep early tonight too | Playfully persistent |
| 晚安，梦里见 | wǎn ān, mèng lǐ jiàn | Good night, see you in my dreams | Slightly romantic |
| 做个好梦哦 | zuò gè hǎo mèng o | Have a good dream | Soft and friendly |
| 晚安，明天见 | wǎn ān, míng tiān jiàn | Good night, see you tomorrow | Light and sweet |
| 好好休息吧 | hǎo hǎo xiū xi ba | Rest well | Caring and mature |
| 别忘了盖好被子哦 | bié wàng le gài hǎo bèi zi o | Don’t forget to cover yourself | Thoughtful and slightly flirty |
| 睡觉觉啦 | shuì jiào jiào la | Sleep time~ | Playful and cute |
| 晚安，做个甜甜的梦 | wǎn ān, zuò gè tián tián de mèng | Good night, have a sweet dream | Gentle and cute |
| 晚安，我走咯 | wǎn ān, wǒ zǒu lo | Good night, I’m signing off | Friendly with a soft ending |
| 睡吧，明天还要早起呢 | shuì ba, míng tiān hái yào zǎo qǐ ne | Sleep now, early start tomorrow | Caring tone |
| 晚安，星星都在看你呢 | wǎn ān, xīng xīng dōu zài kàn nǐ ne | Good night, even the stars are watching you | Flirty and poetic |
| 晚安，晚点再想你 | wǎn ān, wǎn diǎn zài xiǎng nǐ | Good night, I’ll miss you later | Subtly sweet and emotional |
| 早点睡，做个关于我的梦吧 | zǎo diǎn shuì, zuò gè guān yú wǒ de mèng ba | Sleep early, dream of me | Cute and cheeky |
| 晚安哦，喜欢和你说晚安的感觉 | wǎn ān o, xǐ huān hé nǐ shuō wǎn ān de gǎn jué | I like saying good night to you | Gently flirty |
| 嘿，晚安，好梦！ | hēi, wǎn ān, hǎo mèng! | Hey, good night, sweet dreams! | Friendly and upbeat |
Writing It Out
Understanding how to write “Good night” in Chinese characters can be really satisfying!
How to write “Good night” in Chinese characters (Simplified and Traditional)
The most common way to write “Good night” is 晚安 (wǎn ān).
- Simplified Chinese: 晚安
- Traditional Chinese: 晚安 (In this case, the characters are the same for simplified and traditional!)
Let’s look at the characters individually:
晚 (wǎn) – evening, late
- Stroke Order: (For text, imagine writing it from left to right, top to bottom.)
- Breakdown: The left part (日) means “sun” or “day.” The right part (免) is a phonetic component, but it also looks a bit like someone being excused or letting go of the day.
安 (ān) – peace, quiet, safety
- Stroke Order: (Again, imagine writing it.)
- Breakdown: This character is a classic example of a pictophonetic compound. The top part (宀) means “roof” or “house,” and the bottom part (女) means “woman” or “female.” The traditional interpretation is that a woman under a roof signifies peace and tranquility in the home. Pretty cool, right?
Good Night in Cantonese
While Mandarin is the most widely spoken dialect in mainland China, Cantonese is prominent in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong province. So, how do they say good night there?
Differences in pronunciation, tone, and cultural use
The most direct translation for “good night” in Cantonese is 晚安 (maan5 on1). Notice it uses the same characters as Mandarin, but the pronunciation is quite different due to Cantonese having more tones and different initial/final sounds.
However, just like in English where we might say “see you tomorrow” instead of “good night,” Cantonese speakers often use other phrases to end the day:
- 早抖 (zou2 tau2) – Rest early. This is a very common and informal way to say good night, especially among friends and family.
- 瞓覺 (fan3 gaau3) – Go to sleep. This is more of a direct instruction.
Cultural Note: In Cantonese-speaking regions, it’s very common to use 早抖 (zou2 tau2) as a casual goodnight, much more so than 晚安 (maan5 on1) in everyday conversation. 晚安 (maan5 on1) can sound a bit more formal or literary.
Mini Dialogues
Let’s see how these phrases work in real-life conversations!
Text exchange between friends
Friend A: 今天好累啊！(Jīntiān hǎo lèi a!) – I’m so tired today!
Friend B: 是啊，早点休息吧。晚安！(Shì a, zǎo diǎn xiū xi ba. Wǎn ān!) – Yeah, rest early. Good night!
Friend A: 晚安！好梦！(Wǎn ān! Hǎo mèng!) – Good night! Sweet dreams!
Parent putting child to bed
Parent: 宝贝，该睡觉了。(Bǎo bèi, gāi shuì jiào le.) – Baby, it’s time to sleep.
Child: 妈妈/爸爸，我不想睡！(Mā ma/Bà ba, wǒ bù xiǎng shuì!) – Mom/Dad, I don’t want to sleep!
Parent: 乖，睡个甜甜的觉，明天我们去公园玩。(Guāi, shuì gè tián tián de jiào, míng tiān wǒ men qù gōng yuán wán.) – Be good, have a sweet sleep, tomorrow we’ll go to the park to play.
Child: 晚安！(Wǎn ān!) – Good night!
Parent: 晚安，我的小宝贝。(Wǎn ān, wǒ de xiǎo bǎo bèi.) – Good night, my little baby.
Couple on a video call
Partner 1: 时间不早了，你早点休息吧。(Shí jiān bù zǎo le, nǐ zǎo diǎn xiū xi ba.) – It’s getting late, you should rest early.
Partner 2: 嗯，你也一样。我爱你，晚安。(En, nǐ yě yī yàng. Wǒ ài nǐ, wǎn ān.) – Mmm, you too. I love you, good night.
Partner 1: 晚安，宝贝，好梦。(Wǎn ān, bǎo bèi, hǎo mèng.) – Good night, darling, sweet dreams.
Chinese Goodnight Quotes
Sometimes, a simple good night isn’t enough. Here are some sweet, poetic, or romantic sayings to add a touch of elegance to your goodnight wishes.
| Chinese Quote | Pinyin | English Translation | Tone/Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 愿你今夜好梦，醒来阳光灿烂。 | yuàn nǐ jīn yè hǎo mèng, xǐng lái yáng guāng càn làn | May you have good dreams tonight, and wake up to brilliant sunshine. | Warm and uplifting |
| 夜深了，愿你安然入睡，心无挂碍。 | yè shēn le, yuàn nǐ ān rán rù shuì, xīn wú guà ài | It’s late, may you sleep peacefully, with no worries in your heart. | Calm and comforting |
| 晚安，我的星辰，我的月亮。 | wǎn ān, wǒ de xīng chén, wǒ de yuè liàng | Good night, my stars, my moon. | Romantic and poetic |
| 睡吧，我的爱，明天会更好。 | shuì ba, wǒ de ài, míng tiān huì gèng hǎo | Sleep, my love, tomorrow will be better. | Loving and reassuring |
| 星光不问赶路人，时光不负有心人，晚安。 | xīng guāng bù wèn gǎn lù rén, shí guāng bù fù yǒu xīn rén, wǎn ān | The starlight doesn’t question the traveller; time rewards the dedicated. Good night. | Inspirational and deep |
| 愿今晚的梦，温柔又闪光。 | yuàn jīn wǎn de mèng, wēn róu yòu shǎn guāng | May tonight’s dreams be tender and full of light. | Soft and poetic |
| 你闭上眼睛，我替你守护整个世界。 | nǐ bì shàng yǎn jīng, wǒ tì nǐ shǒu hù zhěng gè shì jiè | Close your eyes — I’ll guard the whole world for you. | Romantic and protective |
| 今夜星辰温柔，而你胜过一切。 | jīn yè xīng chén wēn róu, ér nǐ shèng guò yī qiè | Tonight the stars are gentle, but you outshine them all. | Deeply romantic |
| 愿你夜夜好眠，梦里都是爱与自由。 | yuàn nǐ yè yè hǎo mián, mèng lǐ dōu shì ài yǔ zì yóu | May you sleep well every night, dreaming of love and freedom. | Gentle and hopeful |
| 月亮今晚也想你了。 | yuè liàng jīn wǎn yě xiǎng nǐ le | The moon misses you tonight too. | Playful and affectionate |
| 愿你睡前卸下所有烦恼，醒来满载希望。 | yuàn nǐ shuì qián xiè xià suǒ yǒu fán nǎo, xǐng lái mǎn zài xī wàng | May you let go of all worries before sleep and wake up filled with hope. | Encouraging and warm |
| 睡吧，夜会替我说爱你。 | shuì ba, yè huì tì wǒ shuō ài nǐ | Sleep now — the night will whisper my love to you. | Subtle and emotional |
| 愿你梦中有我，醒来心中依然温暖。 | yuàn nǐ mèng zhōng yǒu wǒ, xǐng lái xīn zhōng yī rán wēn nuǎn | May I appear in your dreams, and warmth remain when you wake. | Affectionate and tender |
| 今夜无事，星河为伴，安心入梦吧。 | jīn yè wú shì, xīng hé wéi bàn, ān xīn rù mèng ba | All is well tonight — let the galaxy keep you company as you fall asleep. | Peaceful and dreamy |
FAQs on Good Night in Mandarin
Here are some common questions people ask about saying good night in Chinese:
What does wǎn ān bǎobèi mean?
晚安，宝贝 (wǎn ān, bǎo bèi) means “Good night, baby” or “Good night, darling.” It’s a very common and affectionate way to say good night to a loved one, whether it’s a romantic partner, a child, or even a close friend.
How do you say good night in a cute way?
To say good night in a cute way, you can use:
- 晚安，宝贝 (wǎn ān, bǎo bèi) – Good night, baby/darling.
- 睡个甜甜的觉 (shuì gè tián tián de jiào) – Have a sweet sleep.
- 晚安，甜心 (wǎn ān, tián xīn) – Good night, sweetheart.
How do I tell my crush goodnight?
For a crush, you want to be warm but not too intense. Consider these:
- 晚安 (wǎn ān) – Simple and classic.
- 早点休息哦 (zǎo diǎn xiū xi o) – Rest early, okay? The “o” adds a soft, caring touch.
- 祝你晚安，好梦 (zhù nǐ wǎn ān, hǎo mèng) – Wishing you good night, sweet dreams.
What is the most romantic way to say goodnight in Chinese?
The most romantic ways often involve terms of endearment or poetic language:
- 晚安，宝贝 (wǎn ān, bǎo bèi) – Good night, baby/darling.
- 我爱你，晚安 (wǒ ài nǐ, wǎn ān) – I love you, good night.
- 晚安，我的星辰，我的月亮。(Wǎn ān, wǒ de xīng chén, wǒ de yuè liang.) – Good night, my stars, my moon.
Is 晚安 used in Cantonese too?
Yes, 晚安 (maan5 on1) is used in Cantonese, but it’s often considered more formal or literary. In everyday casual conversation, Cantonese speakers are more likely to say 早抖 (zou2 tau2), which means “rest early.”
Final Thoughts
Saying good night in Chinese is a wonderful way to deepen your connections and show your understanding of Chinese culture. Whether you choose the simple 晚安 (wǎn ān) or a more poetic phrase, the effort to communicate in their language will surely be appreciated.
I hope this guide helped you feel more confident and natural when saying good night in Chinese — whether it’s to a friend, a loved one, or even your new language partner.
Keep practicing, keep exploring, and keep connecting with the rich world of Chinese language and culture. Sweet dreams, and I’ll see you back here at StellarChinese.com for more fun, beginner-friendly guides.
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Which Chinese goodnight phrase is your favorite? Share it in the comments below!
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