How to say “Excuse me” in Chinese
“Excuse me” in Chinese is 不好意思。, written in pinyin as Bù hǎoyìsi..
不好意思。
Bù hǎoyìsi.
Excuse me.
Word by word
What each part of 不好意思。 actually means.
- 不bùnot
- 好意思hǎoyìsito feel embarrassed / to have the nerve
When you use it
The most useful two-syllable phrase in China: it gets attention, makes a light apology, and softens a refusal. Use it before a question or when you squeeze past someone.
Use 不好意思。 in everyday situations. Greetings, thanks and the small words you use all day.
Common questions
- How do you say "Excuse me" in Chinese?
- "Excuse me" in Chinese is 不好意思。 — written in pinyin as Bù hǎoyìsi.. It is a everyday phrase you would use in China.
- What does 不好意思。 mean in Chinese?
- 不好意思。 (Bù hǎoyìsi.) means "Excuse me". Broken down word by word: 不 (bù) means "not"; 好意思 (hǎoyìsi) means "to feel embarrassed / to have the nerve".
- When would you use "Excuse me" in Chinese?
- The most useful two-syllable phrase in China: it gets attention, makes a light apology, and softens a refusal. Use it before a question or when you squeeze past someone. You would say 不好意思。 (Bù hǎoyìsi.) in everyday conversation.
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