Different Ways To Say 'I'm Sorry' in Chinese

Written by:  • Edited by: Rebecca Scudder
Updated Dec 9, 2011

In Chinese, 对不起【duìbùqǐ】and 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】are generally used to apologize. Sometimes they are interchangeable depending on the situation and personal saying preference. Here you learn how to say I'm sorry in Chinese - the similarities and differences between对不起【duìbùqǐ】and 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】.

Saying I'm sorry in Chinese under varying circumstances:

对不起【duìbùqǐ】means “sorry”, “excuse me”, or “beg you pardon” whereas 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】means ”sorry”, “beg your pardon”, “excuse me”, “feel embarrassed”, “feel bad/reluctant”.

对不起【duìbùqǐ】is more common used to say “sorry” especially for serious mistakes and formal situation. To make it stronger, you can add “ 真【zhēn= really】” before 对不起【duìbùqǐ】.

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】is used when you did a light mistake, if you feel bad to disturb others or people are too kind to you. You can also add “ 真【zhēn= really】or 太【tài= extremely, very】” before 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】to make it stronger.

对不起【duìbùqǐ】and 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】are often interchangeable if the meaning is “excuse me” or “beg your pardon”.

I. Say I'm Sorry In Chinese: 对不起【duìbùqǐ= sorry】

a. 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】is generally used for serious mistakes.

Example 1:

Sorry, I did a mistake. (serious mistake)

对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】,我【wǒ=I】 做【zuò=do】 错【cuò=mistake】 了【le】。

对不起,我 做 错 了。

Example 2:

Teacher, sorry I’m late.

老师 【lǎoshī=teacher】,对不起 【duìbùqǐ=sorry】我 【wǒ=I】迟到【chídào=late】 了【le】。

老师,对不起 迟到 了。

Example 3:

Sorry, a joke too far.

对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】开玩笑【kāiwánxiào=joke】 开【kāi=open, run】 大【dà=large, big】 了【le】。

The literal meaning is “Sorry, the joke open too big”.

对不起,开玩笑 开 大 了。

b. 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】is used when you heard the bad or serious news.

Example 1:

A: I broke up with him.

B: Oh? I’m sorry.

A: 我【wǒ=I】 和【hé=and】 他【tā=he】 分手【fēnshǒu= break up, divorce】 了【le】。

B: 啊【a=oh】? 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】。

A: 我 和 他 分手 了。

B: 啊?对不起。

Example 2:

A: My grandma passed away.

B: I’m really sorry to hear that.

A: 我【wǒ=I】奶奶【nǎinai=(paternal) grandmother】

去世【qù shì=pass away】 了【le】!

B: 真【zhēn=really】 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】!

The literal meaning is “I’m really sorry.”

A: 我 奶奶 去世 了!

B: 真 对不起!

c. 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】is used for formal situation.

Example:

Sorry, you need the receipt to return the merchandise.

对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】, 退【tuì=return】 货【huò= merchandise, goods】 需要【xūyào=need】 发票【fāpiào=receipt】。

对不起,退 货 需要 发票。

II. How To Say I'm Sorry In Chinese: 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=sorry】

a. 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=sorry】is used for a light or not serious mistake.

Example 1:

Sorry, I’m just kidding!

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=sorry】, 开玩笑【kāiwánxiào=joke】!

不好意思,开玩笑!

Example 2:

Sorry, I did a mistake. (light mistake)

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=sorry】, 我【wǒ=I】 做【zuò=do】 错【cuò=mistake】 了【le】。

不好意思,我 做 错 了。

III. 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=feel reluctant, feel bad】

a. 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】 is generally used when you feel bad/reluctant to disturb others.

Example 1:

Sorry I have disturbed you.

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=feel bad/reluctant】,

打扰【dǎrǎo=bother, disturb】 你【nǐ=you】 了【le】。

不好意思,打扰 你 了。

The literal meaning is I feel bad that I have disturbed you.

Example 2:

Sorry to put you some trouble.

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=feel bad/reluctant】, 麻烦【máfan=bother, put you some trouble】 你【nǐ=you】 一下【yīxià=for a while】。

The literal meaning is I feel bad to put you some trouble for a while.

不好意思,麻烦 你一下。

Note:

When 麻烦【máfan=bother, inconvenient】is used, you have to use 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=excuse me】, not 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】.

b. 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=excuse me】is generally used when you feel bad to ask people to help.

Example:

Excuse me, could you please help me?

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi= feel bad/reluctant】, 麻烦【máfan=bother, put you some trouble】 能【néng=can】 帮【bāng=help】 我【wǒ=I】 一下【yīxià=for a while】 吗【ma】?

The literal meaning is “I feel bad to bother you, could you please help me for a while?”

不好意思,麻烦 能 帮 我 一下 吗?

c. 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi】is used when you feel embarrassed because people are too kind to you.

Example:

A: I really feel embarrassed when we go out, it’s always you paying.

B: It doesn’t matter.

A: 真【zhēn=really】 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi= feel bad】,我们【wǒmén=we】 出来【chūlai=go out】,一直【yīzhí=always】 都是【dōushì=all are】 你【nǐ=you】 付【fù=pay】 钱【qián=money】。

B: 没关系【méiguānxi=it doesn’t matter, never mind】。

A: 真 不好意思,我们 出来,一直 都是 你 付 钱。

B: 没关系。

Description:

There are generally three ways to answer 对不起【duìbùqǐ=sorry】or 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=sorry, feel bad/reluctant】:

a.没关系【méiguānxi=it doesn’t matter, never mind】

b. 没事儿【méishìr=it doesn’t matter, never mind】

c. 不要紧【bùyàojǐn=it doesn’t matter, never mind】

Example 2:

A: This is for you.

B: Thank you, I'm very embarrassed.

A: 送【sòng= give as a present】 给【gěi=give】 你【nǐ=you】。

B: 谢谢【xièxiè=thank you】 , 太【tài=very, extremely】 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=feel embarrassed】 了【le】。

A: 送 给 你。

B: 谢谢, 太 不好意思 了。

IV. 对不起【duìbùqǐ= excuse me, beg your pardon】and 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi= excuse me, beg your pardon】

对不起【duìbùqǐ= excuse me, beg your pardon】and 不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi= excuse me, beg your pardon】are often interchangeable.

Example 1:

Excuse me, please let me through.

对不起【duìbùqǐ=excuse me】,让【ràng= let】 一下【yīxià= in a short while】。

The literal meaning is “Excuse me, please let me through in a short while”.

对不起,让 一下。

Or

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=excuse me】,让【ràng= let】 一下【yīxià= in a short while】。

不好意思,让 一下。

Example 2:

Excuse me, I’m allergic to perfume.

对不起【duìbùqǐ=excuse me】,我【wǒ=I】 对【duì= adjust, be directed at】 香水【xiāngshuǐ=perfume】 过敏【guòmǐn=allergy】。

Or

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=excuse me】,我【wǒ=I】 对【duì= adjust, be directed at】 香水【xiāngshuǐ=perfume】 过敏【guòmǐn=allergy】。

对不起,我 对 香水 过敏。

不好意思,我 对 香水 过敏。

Example 3:

Beg your pardon, I didn’t hear you clearly.

对不起【duìbùqǐ= beg you pardon】,我【wǒ=I】 没【méi=not】 听【tīng=hear】 清楚【qīngchǔ=clear】。

Or

不好意思【bùhǎoyìsi=beg your pardon】,我【wǒ=I】 没【méi=not】听【tīng=hear】 清楚【qīngchǔ=clear】。

不好意思,我 没 听 清楚。

对不起,我 没 听 清楚。

Learning Chinese: Tonal Pronunciation

If you don’t know how to pronounce the Chinese characters, you can read Learning Chinese: Chinese Tonal Pronunciation Explained to Learn Pinyin Pronunciation


 
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