What does chiao mean?
Chiao is an informal interjection used as both a greeting and a farewell — essentially an English rendering of the Italian word more commonly spelled 'ciao'. Borrowed into English in the twentieth century, it conveys a light, friendly, slightly worldly register: someone might say it breezily on leaving a café or sign off a casual message with it. Because it works in both directions, context determines whether the speaker is arriving or departing. In English it remains distinctly informal, even playfully continental, and would be out of place in formal writing or speech. The spelling 'chiao' is uncommon; 'ciao' is the standard form most readers will recognize. Its charm lies partly in its history: it descends from the Venetian phrase meaning 'I am your servant', a polite formula of humility that has traveled from Renaissance Venice to casual conversation worldwide.
interjectionAn informal greeting or farewell, used to mean either 'hello' or 'goodbye'. A less common spelling of the Italian loanword 'ciao'.
- Used as a friendly greeting ('hello')
- Used as a casual farewell ('goodbye')
""Chiao!" she called, waving as she stepped off the train."
""Chiao, everyone!" he said breezily as he joined the table."
"She signed off her email with a playful "chiao" and a smiley face."
Every time you say 'ciao', you're literally calling someone a slave — it comes from Venetian 's-ciao', short for 'I am your humble servant', tracing all the way back to the Latin word for the Slavic peoples.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chiao
Chiao is a variant English spelling of Italian 'ciao', which originated in Venetian dialect as 's-ciao' or 's-ciào', a shortened form of 's-ciavo vostro' meaning '(I am) your slave/servant'. That Venetian word derives ultimately from Latin 'sclavus' (slave), which itself came from 'Slav', because so many enslaved people in the medieval Mediterranean were Slavic. Related forms include Italian 'schiavo' and English 'slave' and 'Slav'. The greeting spread through Europe in the twentieth century before entering casual English.
How chiao is actually used
Highly informal and conversational; carries a breezy, cosmopolitan, sometimes affected tone in English. The spelling 'ciao' is by far the standard form in English; 'chiao' is a rare variant encountered chiefly in older or phonetic spellings.
Easily confused with chiao
'Chow' is a Chinese dog breed or slang for food, while 'chiao' is an informal greeting or farewell borrowed from Italian 'ciao'.