Keywords: 晚安, wǎn'ān, good night in Chinese, how to say good night in Mandarin, Chinese bedtime greeting, peaceful night, Chinese farewell, 晚 (wǎn), 安 (ān), HSK 1 vocabulary.
Summary: Learn how to say “Good night” in Mandarin Chinese with “晚安 (wǎn'ān)”. This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, cultural significance, and practical usage. Discover why it's more than just a simple farewell, carrying a warm wish for a peaceful and safe rest, and see ten practical examples of how to use it in daily conversation, from texting friends to saying goodnight to family.
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): wǎn'ān
Part of Speech: Interjection / Salutation
HSK Level: HSK 1
Concise Definition: Good night; Have a peaceful night.
In a Nutshell: 晚安 (wǎn'ān) is the standard and most common way to wish someone a good night in Mandarin Chinese. It's a farewell used just before someone is going to sleep. Unlike a casual “night!”, 晚安 carries a sincere and gentle wish for the other person to have a peaceful and safe rest until morning.
Character Breakdown
晚 (wǎn): This character means “evening,” “night,” or “late.” It is composed of the “sun” radical 日 (rì) on the left and a phonetic component 免 (miǎn) on the right. You can picture it as the time of day when the sun (日) has disappeared or is absent.
安 (ān): This character means “peace,” “safety,” or “calm.” It's a beautiful pictograph of a woman (女) under a roof (宀). This imagery evokes a sense of security, tranquility, and well-being found at home.
Combined Meaning: Together, 晚 (evening) + 安 (peace) literally translates to “evening peace” or “peaceful night.” This combination forms a warm wish for the recipient to have a calm and safe night's sleep.
Cultural Context and Significance
A Wish for Peace: The inclusion of 安 (ān) elevates 晚安 from a simple farewell to a genuine expression of care. In Chinese culture, well-wishes for health, safety, and peace are very common and important. 晚安 fits perfectly into this pattern, not just marking the end of the day but actively wishing someone tranquility.
Comparison to “Good night”: In English, “good night” is a direct parallel. However, it can sometimes be used in a curt or dismissive way (e.g., ending an argument). 晚安 in Chinese is almost exclusively warm and sincere. It would be very unusual to use it with a negative or dismissive tone. It is a gentle, caring phrase.
Modern Evolution: In the age of social media and texting, 晚安 has evolved. Younger people often shorten it to a simple “安 (ān)” or a cute, repeated “安安 (ān'ān)” when texting close friends. This signals a more casual, intimate, and modern usage.
Practical Usage in Modern China
Family and Loved Ones: This is the most common context. Parents say it to their children, and couples say it to each other before bed. It's a standard part of the nightly routine.
Texting and Social Media: 晚安 is extremely common in digital communication. It's used to end a conversation for the day on apps like WeChat. People might also make a social media post (e.g., on their Weibo or WeChat Moments) with a picture and the caption “晚安” to announce they are signing off for the night.
Formality: 晚安 is a universally appropriate phrase that works in both formal and informal contexts. You can say it to a close friend or to a respected colleague if you happen to be communicating late at night. While it is always polite, with very close friends, you might use more casual slang like “我睡了 (wǒ shuì le)” meaning “I'm off to sleep.”
Example Sentences
Example 1:
妈妈，我睡觉了，晚安！
Pinyin: Māma, wǒ shuìjiào le, wǎn'ān!
English: Mom, I'm going to bed, good night!
Analysis: A classic and very common example of a child saying good night to a parent.
Example 2:
好了，不聊了，太晚了。晚安。
Pinyin: Hǎo le, bù liáo le, tài wǎn le. Wǎn'ān.
English: Okay, let's stop chatting, it's too late. Good night.
Analysis: This shows how 晚安 is used to politely end a conversation (over the phone or text) for the night.
Example 3:
亲爱的，晚安，做个好梦。
Pinyin: Qīn'ài de, wǎn'ān, zuò ge hǎo mèng.
English: Darling, good night, have a sweet dream.
Analysis: A very affectionate and loving way to say good night to a partner. “做个好梦 (zuò ge hǎo mèng)” is a common follow-up phrase.
English: Let's discuss this problem again tomorrow. You get some rest early, good night.
Analysis: Used in a work or study context to postpone a discussion and wish the other person well. “早点休息 (zǎodiǎn xiūxí)” - “rest early” - is a very common and considerate phrase.
Example 9:
A: 晚安！ (Wǎn'ān!)
B: 安。 (Ān.)
English: A: Good night! / B: Night.
Analysis: This shows the very common modern shorthand “安 (ān)” used as a reply in text messages among friends or younger people. It's casual and quick.
Example 10:
祝你有个好梦，晚安。
Pinyin: Zhù nǐ yǒu ge hǎo mèng, wǎn'ān.
English: Wishing you have a good dream, good night.
Analysis: A slightly more formal and complete way of wishing someone a good night, similar to example 3 but using the character “祝 (zhù)” which means “to wish.”
Nuances and Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 晚安 as an evening greeting.
This is the most common mistake for beginners. 晚安 (wǎn'ān) is a farewell, said only when you or the other person is leaving for the night or going to bed. It is the equivalent of “Good night.”
Incorrect: Walking into a restaurant in the evening and saying “晚安!”
Correct: The proper greeting for the evening is 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo), which means “Good evening.” You use this when meeting someone, not when leaving.
Mistake: Thinking it's the only way to say you're going to bed.
While 晚安 is a wish for others, if you just want to state that you are going to sleep, you can say “我睡觉了 (wǒ shuìjiào le)” or “我去睡觉了 (wǒ qù shuìjiào le).” Often, this is then followed by 晚安.
Example: 我太困了，去睡觉了。晚安！ (Wǒ tài kùn le, qù shuìjiào le. Wǎn'ān!) - “I'm so tired, I'm going to sleep. Good night!”
Related Terms and Concepts
晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo) - “Good evening.” This is the greeting you use when you meet someone in the evening. Don't confuse it with 晚安.
早安 (zǎo'ān) - “Good morning.” The direct morning equivalent of 晚安. Often shortened to 早 (zǎo).
午安 (wǔ'ān) - “Good afternoon.” Less common in mainland China but still understood and used in places like Taiwan.
睡觉 (shuìjiào) - The verb “to sleep.” A core concept related to the context of saying 晚安.
明天见 (míngtiān jiàn) - “See you tomorrow.” Often said right before or after 晚安.
做梦 (zuòmèng) - “To dream.” Used in the common follow-up phrase “做个好梦 (zuò ge hǎo mèng)” - “have a good dream.”
拜拜 (bàibai) - “Bye-bye.” A general, informal farewell that can be used any time of day, including at night.
安 (ān) - The single-character shorthand for 晚安, very popular in text messaging for a quick, casual “night.”