How to Say Thank You and Sorry in Chinese

Learn polite phrases in pairs: 谢谢 with 不客气, 对不起 with 没关系. Add the all-purpose 不好意思 and you are covered.

Practice pairs: 谢谢你 / 不客气, 对不起 / 没关系, 麻烦你了 / 不麻烦.

“没关系” does not mean no relationship here; it means it's okay.

“谢谢” can stand alone, and “谢谢你” is also natural. Use it in restaurants, shops, directions, or after someone helps you. For a big favor, “太谢谢你了” sounds warmer.

A real cultural point: among close friends and family, Chinese speakers actually say “谢谢” less than Westerners do — being too polite can feel distant (生分). For a friend's favor, “麻烦你了” or treating them to a meal often beats repeated thanks.

“对不起” is stronger and more formal; “不好意思” is lighter. If you bump into someone lightly, “不好意思” works. For a bigger mistake, use “对不起”.

When someone apologizes, answer “没关系” or “没事”. When someone thanks you, answer “不客气” or “不用谢”. Memorize these as pairs and the exchange never stalls.

“不好意思” is one of the most versatile polite words in Mandarin: a light apology (stepping on a foot), an attention-getter before a question — “不好意思，请问一下，地铁站在哪儿？” — and a polite hedge when accepting favors.

To call a waiter, say “不好意思” or simply “服务员！” — the latter is completely polite in China, not rude. Squeezing out of a packed subway car, say “不好意思，借过一下” (excuse me, coming through).

You: 不好意思，请问一下，地铁站在哪儿？ Passerby: 往前走，第一个路口右转. You: 太谢谢你了！ Passerby: 不客气. (You bump someone on the subway) You: 对不起！ Them: 没关系. (A friend carries your luggage) You: 麻烦你了！ Friend: 不麻烦，小事.

Listen once, then repeat line by line. Feel the rhythm of the three pairs: 谢谢 / 不客气, 对不起 / 没关系, 麻烦你了 / 不麻烦.

“谢谢” and “对不起” are not better just because you say them more. Use “不好意思” for small trouble, “对不起” for a real apology, “谢谢” for help, and “不客气” or “没事” when someone thanks you.

PandaKiko practices this by judging situations: bumping into someone, being late, someone holding something for you, or a cashier giving change. Different scenes need different polite phrases.

Minute one is only for the core lines: “谢谢你。”、“太谢谢你了。”、“不客气。”. Do not add new vocabulary yet; first make sure you can read the characters aloud and turn the English meaning back into Mandarin.

Minutes two to four change one real variable: place, quantity, time, person, or preference. In the final minute, close the page and say the idea with your own details. PandaKiko treats this guide as learned only when you can turn “谢谢你。” into your own sentence.