Polite Chinese Phrases: Requests, Thanks, Apologies and Encouragement
Politeness in Mandarin comes from the whole interaction, not one word meaning “please.” 请 can introduce an invitation or request; 麻烦你 acknowledges that you are asking someone to take trouble; 不好意思 can soften an interruption or express embarrassment. Choose the phrase for the action you are actually taking.
请 and 麻烦你 in a real request
请坐 invites someone to sit. 请问 introduces a question. 麻烦你 followed by an action asks someone to help or do something: 麻烦你看一下, “Could you take a look?” 您 instead of 你 can add respectful distance where appropriate.
A request becomes easier to answer when it names the task. “帮我一下” asks for help but leaves the action unstated. “能帮我看一下这个地址吗？” explains what needs checking. Give the other person enough context and room to decline.
不好意思，能帮我看一下这个地址吗？
Bù hǎo yì si, néng bāng wǒ kàn yí xià zhè ge dì zhǐ ma?
麻烦您再说慢一点。
Má fan nín zài shuō màn yì diǎn.
Thanks, apologies and the right reply
谢谢 means thank you. 不客气 and 不用谢 are common replies. 没关系 means it does not matter or it is all right, commonly in response to an apology. It is not a universal replacement for “you are welcome” in every exchange.
不好意思 can mark a small apology, embarrassment or an interruption. 对不起 is a more direct apology. For a real mistake, name what happened and how you will repair it rather than relying only on a formula.
“不用了，谢谢” politely declines an offer: “No need, thank you.” A direct translation of “no thank you” word by word can sound less natural than this complete response.
对不起，我把时间记错了。我现在重新确认。
Duì bu qǐ, wǒ bǎ shí jiān jì cuò le. Wǒ xiàn zài chóng xīn què rèn.
Encouragement and appreciation are different
加油 (jiā yóu) can encourage someone: “go for it,” “keep going,” or “you can do it.” The literal meaning of adding fuel helps recall the word, but you do not need a speculative origin story to use the encouragement.
辛苦了 (xīn kǔ le) acknowledges someone’s effort or hard work. It can be warm appreciation, but the relationship matters; do not assume it is always the best reply to someone describing serious distress. 慢慢来 says to take it slowly or take one’s time.
恭喜 congratulates someone on a positive development. 保重 means take care of yourself. 早日康复 wishes someone a speedy recovery; it is a well-wish, not medical advice. Choose the situation rather than rotating phrases as generic positivity.
Small phrases that need context
随便 can mean that any option is fine, but a bare 随便 may sound disengaged. “我都可以，你选吧” makes flexibility clearer. 算了 can mean never mind or let it go, sometimes with resignation. 差不多 means approximately or nearly the same, not necessarily exactly correct.
For greetings, 很高兴认识你 suits a first meeting, while 好久不见 recognizes a long gap. 干杯 is a toast; it can imply draining a drink, but participation and drinking preferences should not be assumed. There is no universally required Mandarin response to every sneeze equivalent to English “bless you.”
Practice by naming the social task first: interrupt, thank, decline, apologize, encourage or congratulate. Then choose the expression. That habit produces more natural exchanges than translating English politeness formulas mechanically.
Vocabulary to keep
Words and expressions in this article. Open a word in the dictionary to explore its readings and meanings.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning in this lesson |
|---|---|---|
| 请问 | qǐng wèn | may I ask; excuse me before a question |
| 麻烦 | má fan | trouble; to trouble someone with a request |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎo yì si | excuse me; embarrassed; sorry in a mild context |
| 对不起 | duì bu qǐ | sorry |
| 谢谢 | xiè xie | thank you |
| 不客气 | bù kè qi | you are welcome |
| 没关系 | méi guān xi | it does not matter; it is all right |
| 加油 | jiā yóu | keep going; go for it; to add fuel |
| 辛苦 | xīn kǔ | hard-working; tiring; laborious |
| 恭喜 | gōng xǐ | congratulations |
| 保重 | bǎo zhòng | take care of yourself |
| 随便 | suí biàn | as one pleases; any option; casual |
| 差不多 | chà bu duō | approximately; nearly the same |
How to use these words
不好意思
不好意思 can soften an interruption, apologize for a minor inconvenience or express embarrassment. It is not a universal substitute for acknowledging a serious mistake. When you interrupt someone to ask a question, add the actual request after it. If you caused a problem, name what happened and what you will do, rather than expecting a polite phrase to do all the work.
不好意思，可以再说一遍吗？
Bù hǎo yì si, kě yǐ zài shuō yí biàn ma?
The phrase softens a specific request for repetition.
辛苦
辛苦 describes effort or hardship. 辛苦了 acknowledges the effort someone has made; it is not always an interchangeable way to say hello, goodbye or thank you. It can sound natural after someone completes a demanding task. The relationship still matters, especially if a learner copies a supervisor’s phrasing toward someone whose work they are not in a position to evaluate.
今天辛苦你了，谢谢。
Jīn tiān xīn kǔ nǐ le, xiè xie.
The sentence appreciates work the other person actually did.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer or say your own response before opening the explanation.
Someone apologizes for a minor delay. Which directly reassures them: 没关系 or 恭喜?
Show answer and explanation
没关系. 恭喜 congratulates someone on good news and would not fit the apology.
A friend has already completed a difficult task. Which emphasizes appreciation for effort: 辛苦了 or a command to work harder?
Show answer and explanation
辛苦了 acknowledges the effort already made. Add a specific thank-you when you want to explain what you appreciate.
You genuinely accept either restaurant. Make that clearer than a bare 随便.
Show answer and explanation
我都可以，你选吧。 (Wǒ dōu kě yǐ, nǐ xuǎn ba.) “Either is fine with me; you choose.”
Common questions
Should I put qing before every request?
No. 请 is useful, but politeness also depends on the construction, tone and relationship. 可以帮我一下吗 asks for help through a question. Adding 请 to a blunt or unreasonable demand does not automatically make it considerate.
What is the difference between bu keqi and mei guanxi?
不客气 commonly responds to thanks: “you are welcome.” 没关系 commonly responds to an apology or reassures someone that something is all right. Choose the reply according to what the other person just did.
Keep learning
References and further reading
Examples and practice in this lesson are original. Usage varies with the speaker, relationship and setting.