How do you say "Thank you" in Chinese?

"Thank you" in Chinese is 谢谢。 — written in pinyin as Xièxie. It is an everyday phrase you would use in China.

What does 谢谢。 mean in Chinese?

谢谢。 (Xièxie) means "Thank you". Broken down word by word: 谢 (xiè) means "to thank".

When would you use "Thank you" in Chinese?

Thank someone for anything small: handing you change, pouring tea, letting you pass, holding a door. It works everywhere in China — shops, taxis, hotels, friends. It is never too formal and never too casual.

How to say “Thank you” in Chinese

“Thank you” in Chinese is 谢谢。, written in pinyin as Xièxie.

谢谢。

Xièxie.

Thank you.

When you use it

Thank someone for anything small: handing you change, pouring tea, letting you pass, holding a door.
It works everywhere in China — shops, taxis, hotels, friends. It is never too formal and never too casual.

Use 谢谢。 in everyday situations. Greetings, thanks and the small words you use all day.

Other ways people say it

The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.

谢谢你。
Xièxie nǐ
Thank you (to you).
Adding 你 makes it directed at one specific person — slightly warmer and more personal.
谢谢大家。
Xièxie dàjiā
Thank you everyone.
太谢谢了。
Tài xièxie le
Thank you so much.
For real help: someone carried your bag, waited for you, or went out of their way.

What usually trips people up

Say it once, at the end. English speakers tend to sprinkle thanks through a sentence; in Chinese one 谢谢 at the close is plenty.
谢谢 never means 'please'. To ask for something politely use 请 (qǐng), or just state what you want with a calm tone.
Close friends and family rarely thank each other over small things. A steady stream of 谢谢 between people who are close can sound formal — they tend to do something back instead of saying it.

What you might hear back

不客气。Bú kèqiYou're welcome.
没事儿。Méi shìrIt's nothing.
不用谢，慢走。Bú yòng xiè, màn zǒuNo need to thank me — take care.

Common questions

How do you say "Thank you" in Chinese?: "Thank you" in Chinese is 谢谢。 — written in pinyin as Xièxie. It is an everyday phrase you would use in China.
What does 谢谢。 mean in Chinese?: 谢谢。 (Xièxie) means "Thank you". Broken down word by word: 谢 (xiè) means "to thank".
When would you use "Thank you" in Chinese?: Thank someone for anything small: handing you change, pouring tea, letting you pass, holding a door. It works everywhere in China — shops, taxis, hotels, friends. It is never too formal and never too casual.

More Everyday phrases

Learn all 34 Everyday phrases

Start learning