(Chinese, Japanese) What to say to someone after they leave?

Question

Yesterday I helped a Japanese exchange student with her computer (I work with ITS on my campus) and I wanted to say something in Japanese as she left. I knew "sayounara" would be awkward, so I tried to be funny/nice and say "bai bai!" No idea if I humiliated or offended her in any way (I might have done the former) but it got me thinking.

I'd like to know (for future reference, as there are a lot of Japanese exchange students who come study at my university) what do you say in that situation, when someone is leaving? It doesn't seem right to say "arigatou gozaimashita," because I helped them, not the other way around. You wouldn't want to say "mata ne," since it implies they'll be back with another problem with their computer... Would you just say "yoi ichinichi o"?

Also, if anyone knows what you'd say in Chinese, I'd be most grateful. I wound up using zài jiàn with a guy, but it felt a lot like "sayounara," and I'd like to know something a bit more informal.

Thank in advance - I really want to help them feel at home in this foreign country! :)

Answer 1

People say baibai, nothing wrong with it. She was probably humiliated that you used Japanese with her and assumed she didn't know English.

Sayounara, ja ne, mata ne, ja mata ne... are all okay. Saying mata ne isn't like you're literally saying, "I will come back again today".

Yoi ichinichi o isn't really good.

Seriously, though, just use English. She's an exchange student there to practice English, not Japanese.

Answer 2

Casual forms:

Japanese:   guanbatte  (do your best - in his/her work)

                  ki wo tsukette (take care)

                    o genki de   (have a good one)

                    dewa mata ( see you later)  

                  

Chiense:  "I'd be most grateful."  Duo3 xie4          or    xie4 xie4  

                                          "much obliged"       or   :                 "thank you"

good luck

Answer 3

technically  there is no language called "chinese".

they mainly speak either mandarin, or cantonese. so half your question is wrong.

Answer 4

rikkeric is right with the chinese languages- cantonese

                                                                mandarin

since im cantonese........i dont think theres a bye bye really........because everyone just says bye bye lol but heres terms that mean bye bye: cantonese- joy geen

i hope i helped! =]

          

Answer 5

Mandarin:

zai4 jian4 (goodbye) would be proper.

Answer 6

Actually, if you are referring to Goodbye, then sayonara would be okay if you are not close to the student.

To mean causual goodbye or cya, mata ne or ja-na can be used.

Arigatou gozaimashita means thank you and it is not really proper in ur suituation.

You can consider "daijyoubu (dont' worry/it's okay)" instead.

"yoi ichinichi o" doesn't seems right =.=lll

In Mandarin, you can use

zài jiàn or baibai (byebye)

=）