HOW ARE U? IN CHINESE IS 你好吗？alphabetic is NI HAO MA

if you mean to ask how your friends are, say 你还好吗？ if its just a greeting, then just say 你好啊！

你好(ni hao) or 您好(nin hao). the former is said to the same generation or junior. the latter is to elders and betters

when you want to say "how are u " to Chinese u could say nihao(你好)。

in Chinese "how are you?"is 您好or你好