Hi group, I'm far from being a linguist expert but I have been
studying Pu Deng Hwa (Mandarin) from a native speaker for nearly 8
months. I love the reaction I get when I greet a Chinese National
using such a simple phrase. Ni hao ma? Pronounced "KNEE"-"HOW"-"MA?"
if you leave off the "MA?" Ni hao will simply mean "HI". Ni (KNEE)-
Means "YOU", Hao (HOW) refers to being good and "Ma?" in this case
signifies the phrase as a direct question with an expected answer.
Whereas just saying "Ni Hao?" without the "MA?" on the end. (Hi) as
you are walking by without having time to stop for a long
conversation, no answer is really expected or you are very familiar
to the person you are speaking with and there is no need to be
formal. To say hi to more than one person or a group you add "MEN" to
the word "NI" Changing the phrase to "Nimen Hao?" These greetings are
appropriate for morning, noon and night. The answer back is the same.
If someone says "Ni Hao?" to you, you would anwer back "Ni Hao!"It
gets more complicated when Ma is used. THe answer back will be more
invloved. "I'm very well, thank you and you?" would be "Wo hen
hao,xie xie,ni neh?" Wo sounds like "Wa" which means I, "Hen" (means
very) Hoa (Good or well) and thank you "Xie Xie" sounds like "Shay-
Shay!" "Ni Neh" sounds like "Knee Nuh?" (And you?) NOw the question
is back in the in face of the person who started the conversation the
standard response would be I'm also very good or Yeh hen hao! Yeh
(also) Hen (Very) and Hao (Good or well).

Zhai Jian, Sound like (Z'eye Gee-ann) means Bye!
Mel