Politeness
How to say “sorry / excuse me” in Chinese
“对不起” (duìbuqǐ) is the standard apology in Chinese. For lighter situations such as bumping into someone or asking for attention, “不好意思” (bù hǎoyìsi) is the everyday word. The reply to an apology is “没关系” (méi guānxi).
In Chinese
对不起
duìbuqǐ
I'm sorry
Other ways to say “sorry / excuse me”
-
不好意思
bù hǎoyìsi
Sorry / Excuse me
Light and very common, for small mistakes and to get attention.
-
抱歉
bàoqiàn
I apologise
More formal, for emails and official situations.
-
打扰一下
dǎrǎo yíxià
Sorry to disturb you
To interrupt politely.
-
借过
jièguò
Excuse me (to pass)
To ask someone to let you through.
Example sentences
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对不起，我来晚了。
duìbuqǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le.
Sorry, I'm late.
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不好意思，请问几点了？
bù hǎoyìsi, qǐngwèn jǐ diǎn le?
Excuse me, what time is it?
-
非常抱歉给您添麻烦了。
fēicháng bàoqiàn gěi nín tiān máfan le.
I'm very sorry to have troubled you.
How to reply
没关系
méi guānxi
It's okay
Good to know
- “对不起” is a real apology; for small things “不好意思” sounds less heavy.
- “不好意思” is also used to politely say thank you for a favour or to decline: it means “I feel a bit embarrassed”.
Questions about “sorry / excuse me” in Chinese
How do you say “sorry / excuse me” in Chinese?
“sorry / excuse me” in Chinese is “对不起” (I'm sorry). It is written in pinyin as duìbuqǐ. You can also say “不好意思”, “抱歉”, “打扰一下”.
How do you pronounce “对不起” in Chinese?
“对不起” is pronounced duìbuqǐ. Tap the speaker on this page to hear it.
What are other ways to say “sorry / excuse me” in Chinese?
“不好意思” (Sorry / Excuse me): light and very common, for small mistakes and to get attention. “抱歉” (I apologise): more formal, for emails and official situations. “打扰一下” (Sorry to disturb you): to interrupt politely. “借过” (Excuse me (to pass)): to ask someone to let you through.
How do you reply to “对不起”?
A natural reply is “没关系” (It's okay).
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