"How are you?" as a greeting
Informal Polite
What it really means
When British people say "How are you?", "You alright?" or "How's it going?", it's usually a greeting, not a real question about your health. The expected answer is short and positive: "Good thanks, you?" Giving a long honest answer to a passing "how are you?" surprises people — save real news for real conversations.
Chinese explanation
英国人说"How are you?"、"You alright?"或"How's it going?"时，通常只是打招呼，不是真的询问你的近况。标准回答简短而积极："Good thanks, you?"（挺好的，你呢？）对一句路过式的问候认真长篇作答会让对方吃惊——真正的近况留到正式聊天再说。
Example conversation
A: Morning! How are you?
B: Good thanks, you?
A: Yeah, not bad at all.
A：早上好！最近怎么样？
B：挺好的，谢谢，你呢？
A：嗯，还不错。
What you could say back
Related phrases
Go deeper
All Customs & Etiquette
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake