There are many ways to say "goodbye" in Chinese, depending on the context and your relationship with the person. Here are some common expressions and their appropriate usage.

1. 再见 (zài jiàn)

— The most widely used farewell, suitable for both formal and informal situations. It literally means "see you again".

2. 拜拜 (bái bái)

— A casual and colloquial term borrowed from English "bye-bye", often used among friends and popular with young people.

3. 回头见 (huí tóu jiàn)

— Means "see you later", typically used among acquaintances expecting to meet again soon.

4. 下次见 (xià cì jiàn)

— Translates to "see you next time", suitable if you're unsure exactly when you'll meet again.

5. 保重 (bǎo zhòng)

— Means "take care", often used in more formal contexts or to express concern for someone’s well-being.

6. 一路平安 (yí lù píng ān)

— A thoughtful way to wish someone "safe travels", used when someone is going on a trip. It's a considerate way to wish them well.

7. 珍重 (zhēn zhòng)

— Means "take good care", used in formal or emotionally meaningful farewells to convey deep care and best wishes.

8. 后会有期 (hòu huì yǒu qī)

— Means "we'll meet again someday", often used in formal situations or when parting for a long time.

9. 改日再聚 (gǎi rì zài jù)

— Means "let's meet again another day", suggesting a future meeting without specifying a date, suitable for informal farewells among friends.

The diversity of Chinese farewells allows you to appropriately convey your sentiments in any context. Choose the expression that suits the situation and your relationship with the other person. Below are some examples.

Example 1:

A: 公交车来了。我先走了，拜拜！

A: gōng jiāo chē lái le. wǒ xiān zǒu le, bái bái!

A: The bus is here. I have to go now. Bye!

B: 拜拜！

B: bái bái.

B: Bye!

Example 2:

A: 这次聚会真的很愉快。

A: zhè cì jù huì zhēn de hěn yú kuài.

A: I had a great time at the party.

B: 我也觉得很开心。我们改日再聚！

B: wǒ yě jué de hěn kāi xīn. wǒ men gǎi rì zài jù!

B: I had a blast too. Let's meet again another day!

A: 没问题。

A: méi wèn tí.

A: Sure, no problem.

Example 3:

A: 你要出差一个月。记得保重身体。

A: nǐ yào chū chāi yí gè yuè. jì de bǎo zhòng shēn tǐ.

A: You're going on a business trip for a month. Be sure to take care of yourself.

B: 谢谢，我会的。你也保重。

B: xiè xiè, wǒ huì de. nǐ yě bǎo zhòng.

B: Thanks, I will. You take care too.