I've heard this (zao an) used many times. The common response is "zao". I've also had Chinese friends tell me that this is not used anymore. Perhaps its an older generation thing or more common in certain areas. You can try this on the older folks in your neighborhood when you're out in the morning. Give them a friendly, "zao an" and see if they respond "zao". In general I would respect what your Chinese friends tell you about common usage, but you can also judge from your own experiences. I find that university students and those newly graduated may have a limited experience from the perspective of social and economic levels.
Posted on: Good Morning!
September 16, 2010 at 6:08 AMI've heard this (zao an) used many times. The common response is "zao". I've also had Chinese friends tell me that this is not used anymore. Perhaps its an older generation thing or more common in certain areas. You can try this on the older folks in your neighborhood when you're out in the morning. Give them a friendly, "zao an" and see if they respond "zao". In general I would respect what your Chinese friends tell you about common usage, but you can also judge from your own experiences. I find that university students and those newly graduated may have a limited experience from the perspective of social and economic levels.