Thank You, Sorry, Please
Master essential politeness: 谢谢 (xièxiè), 不客气 (bú kèqi), 对不起 (duìbuqǐ), 没关系 (méi guānxi), 请 (qǐng), 再见 (zàijiàn). Understand Chinese politeness culture: when to use these and when not to.
A lesson of Mandarin Chinese A1 — Beginner, in Greetings & Basics, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will use essential politeness phrases in Mandarin and understand Chinese politeness culture.
The Core Politeness Vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谢谢 | xièxiè | Thank you | Most common; repeat for emphasis |
| 谢谢你 | xièxiè nǐ | Thank you (to you) | More personal |
| 非常感谢 | fēicháng gǎnxiè | Thank you very much | Formal |
| 不客气 | bù kèqi | You're welcome | Literally "don't be polite" |
| 没关系 | méi guānxi | No problem / It's OK | Response to apology |
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry (sincere) | Formal apology |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | Excuse me / I'm embarrassed | For minor inconveniences |
| 请 | qǐng | Please | Before requests: 请坐 (please sit) |
| 请问 | qǐngwèn | Excuse me (to ask) | Before questions |
| 没事 | méi shì | No worries / It's nothing | Casual reassurance |
Saying Thank You
Chinese thank-you phrases follow context:
| Situation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Someone gives you something | 谢谢 (xièxiè) |
| Someone does you a big favor | 非常感谢 (fēicháng gǎnxiè) |
| In a business/formal context | 感谢您的帮助 (gǎnxiè nín de bāngzhù) — "Thank you for your help" |
| Responding to thanks | 不客气 or 不谢 (bù xiè) |