Chinese phrases
How to say excuse me in Chinese
Excuse me in Chinese depends on what you want. To get attention or say sorry for something small, say 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si). To ask a question, start with 请问 (qǐng wèn).
不好意思
excuse me; sorry
Ways to say excuse me
不好意思
Everydayexcuse me; sorry
To get past someone, get attention, or apologize for something small.
请问
Everydaymay I ask
Before a question to a stranger: 请问，地铁站在哪里?
借过
Everydaylet me through
In a crowd, on a metro car, in a narrow street. Short and normal, not rude. Most common in the south; in Beijing you also hear 劳驾.
让一下
Everydaycould you move a bit?
Also for getting past. Add 不好意思 in front to soften it.
打扰一下
Formalsorry to bother you
To interrupt someone who is busy: a colleague, a clerk at a desk.
服务员
Everydaywaiter!
To call staff in a restaurant. 你好 works too.
Common mistakes
Using 对不起 as excuse me
对不起 apologizes for doing something wrong. To ask a question or get past, use 请问 or 不好意思.
Using 喂 to get attention
Face to face, 喂 sounds like “hey, you!” Say 你好 or 不好意思.
Asking the way
请问，地铁站在哪里？
Leon: Excuse me, where’s the metro station?
往前走，左边就是。
Passer-by: Go straight, it’s on the left.
谢谢！
Leon: Thank you!
