How To Say Thank You And You’re Welcome In Chinese
Learn the most useful ways to say thank you and you’re welcome in simplified Chinese: 谢谢 xièxie, 不客气 bú kèqi, and a whole lot more.
If you only learn one polite word in Chinese, make it 谢谢 xièxie. It is everywhere. Shops, taxis, texts, family dinners, awkward favors, non-awkward favors, and those tiny moments where you just want to sound like a functioning human.
But Chinese has more than one way to say thanks, and more than one way to answer it. Some are warm, some are formal, some are casual, and some are the linguistic version of “alright, alright, stop making it weird.” Let’s learn the useful ones first.
A Tiny But Important Truth
In everyday Chinese, 谢谢 xièxie is perfect. You do not need a dramatic speech. Native speakers are not waiting for you to deliver a Nobel Prize acceptance monologue. A clear 谢谢 xièxie already does the job beautifully.
Most Useful Thank You And You’re Welcome Phrases
谢谢 xièxie
thank you
谢谢你 xièxie nǐ
thank you (to one person, casual)
谢谢您 xièxie nín
thank you (polite)
多谢 duōxiè
many thanks; thanks a lot
不客气 bú kèqi
you’re welcome
不用谢 bú yòng xiè
no need to thank me
没事 méi shì
it’s nothing; no problem
别客气 bié kèqi
don’t be so polite
太谢谢你了 tài xièxie nǐ le
thank you so much
非常感谢 fēicháng gǎnxiè
many thanks; very grateful
哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli
not at all; you flatter me
应该的 yīnggāi de
it’s only right; happy to help
How To Say Thank You In Chinese
Start with these. They cover most daily situations, from friendly to formal.
- 谢谢 xièxie — thank you
- 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ — thank you (casual, to one person)
- 谢谢您 xièxie nín — thank you (polite, respectful)
- 多谢 duōxiè — many thanks
- 太谢谢你了 tài xièxie nǐ le — thank you so much
- 真谢谢你 zhēn xièxie nǐ — really, thank you
- 真的谢谢你 zhēn de xièxie nǐ — thank you, really
- 非常感谢 fēicháng gǎnxiè — many thanks; sincerely grateful
- 十分感谢 shífēn gǎnxiè — deeply grateful
- 特别感谢 tèbié gǎnxiè — special thanks
- 太感谢了 tài gǎnxiè le — thanks so much
- 感激不尽 gǎnjī bù jìn — extremely grateful
- 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le — thanks for your hard work
- 麻烦你了 máfan nǐ le — sorry to trouble you; thanks for helping
- 让你费心了 ràng nǐ fèixīn le — thank you for going to the trouble
- 让你破费了 ràng nǐ pòfèi le — thanks for spending money on me
- 谢谢大家 xièxie dàjiā — thank you, everyone
- 谢谢老师 xièxie lǎoshī — thank you, teacher
- 谢谢老板 xièxie lǎobǎn — thanks, boss
- 谢谢关心 xièxie guānxīn — thanks for your concern
- 谢谢帮忙 xièxie bāngmáng — thanks for the help
- 谢谢支持 xièxie zhīchí — thanks for the support
- 谢谢理解 xièxie lǐjiě — thanks for understanding
- 谢谢配合 xièxie pèihé — thanks for your cooperation
- 谢谢提醒 xièxie tíxǐng — thanks for the reminder
How To Say You’re Welcome In Chinese
These are the replies you will hear after someone says 谢谢 xièxie. Some are standard. Some are softer and more natural in conversation.
- 不客气 bú kèqi — you’re welcome
- 不用谢 bú yòng xiè — no need to thank me
- 别客气 bié kèqi — don’t be so polite
- 没事 méi shì — it’s nothing
- 没关系 méi guānxi — no problem
- 小事 xiǎoshì — small matter; no big deal
- 应该的 yīnggāi de — it’s what I should do
- 我应该做的 wǒ yīnggāi zuò de — it’s what I should do
- 不麻烦 bù máfan — not a bother
- 举手之劳 jǔshǒu zhī láo — just a small favor
- 应该谢谢你 yīnggāi xièxie nǐ — I should be thanking you
- 哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli — not at all; not really
- 不会 bú huì — not at all (regional, casual in some contexts)
- 甭客气 béng kèqi — don’t mention it (very casual)
- 客气了 kèqi le — you’re being too polite
- 这是我应该做的 zhè shì wǒ yīnggāi zuò de — this is what I should do
- 能帮上忙就好 néng bāng shàng máng jiù hǎo — glad I could help
- 不算什么 bù suàn shénme — it’s nothing much
- 别提了 bié tí le — don’t mention it
- 太客气了 tài kèqi le — you’re too polite
- 不值一提 bù zhí yì tí — not worth mentioning
- 都是应该的 dōu shì yīnggāi de — it’s all only right
- 这是小事 zhè shì xiǎoshì — this is a small thing
- 顺手而已 shùnshǒu ér yǐ — I just did it while I was at it
- 能帮你我很高兴 néng bāng nǐ wǒ hěn gāoxìng — I’m happy I could help you
Useful Phrases And Real-Life Sentences
1. 谢谢 xièxie — thank you
例句：谢谢 xièxie！
Xièxie!
Thanks!
2. 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ — thank you
例句：谢谢你帮我 xièxie nǐ bāng wǒ。
Xièxie nǐ bāng wǒ.
Thank you for helping me.
3. 谢谢您 xièxie nín — thank you (polite)
例句：老师，谢谢您 lǎoshī, xièxie nín。
Lǎoshī, xièxie nín.
Teacher, thank you.
4. 多谢 duōxiè — many thanks
例句：今天真是多谢你了 jīntiān zhēn shì duōxiè nǐ le。
Jīntiān zhēn shì duōxiè nǐ le.
Many thanks for today.
5. 太谢谢你了 tài xièxie nǐ le — thank you so much
例句：太谢谢你了，不然我就迟到了 tài xièxie nǐ le, bùrán wǒ jiù chídào le。
Tài xièxie nǐ le, bùrán wǒ jiù chídào le.
Thank you so much, otherwise I would have been late.
6. 非常感谢 fēicháng gǎnxiè — many thanks
例句：非常感谢你的帮助 fēicháng gǎnxiè nǐ de bāngzhù。
Fēicháng gǎnxiè nǐ de bāngzhù.
Thank you very much for your help.
7. 十分感谢 shífēn gǎnxiè — deeply grateful
例句：我们十分感谢您的支持 wǒmen shífēn gǎnxiè nín de zhīchí。
Wǒmen shífēn gǎnxiè nín de zhīchí.
We deeply appreciate your support.
8. 特别感谢 tèbié gǎnxiè — special thanks
例句：特别感谢大家今天来参加 tèbié gǎnxiè dàjiā jīntiān lái cānjiā。
Tèbié gǎnxiè dàjiā jīntiān lái cānjiā.
Special thanks to everyone for coming today.
9. 感激不尽 gǎnjī bù jìn — extremely grateful
例句：你的照顾让我感激不尽 nǐ de zhàogù ràng wǒ gǎnjī bù jìn。
Nǐ de zhàogù ràng wǒ gǎnjī bù jìn.
Your care leaves me extremely grateful.
10. 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le — thanks for your hard work
例句：大家辛苦了 dàjiā xīnkǔ le。
Dàjiā xīnkǔ le.
Thanks for your hard work, everyone.
11. 麻烦你了 máfan nǐ le — sorry to trouble you; thanks
例句：这件事麻烦你了 zhè jiàn shì máfan nǐ le。
Zhè jiàn shì máfan nǐ le.
Sorry to trouble you with this.
12. 让你费心了 ràng nǐ fèixīn le — thank you for your effort
例句：为了这件事让你费心了 wèile zhè jiàn shì ràng nǐ fèixīn le。
Wèile zhè jiàn shì ràng nǐ fèixīn le.
Thank you for taking so much care over this.
13. 让你破费了 ràng nǐ pòfèi le — thanks for spending money on me
例句：这顿饭让你破费了 zhè dùn fàn ràng nǐ pòfèi le。
Zhè dùn fàn ràng nǐ pòfèi le.
Thanks for treating me to this meal.
14. 不客气 bú kèqi — you’re welcome
例句：A：谢谢 xièxie。B：不客气 bú kèqi。
A: Xièxie. B: Bú kèqi.
A: Thanks. B: You’re welcome.
15. 不用谢 bú yòng xiè — no need to thank me
例句：不用谢，这是我应该做的 bú yòng xiè, zhè shì wǒ yīnggāi zuò de。
Bú yòng xiè, zhè shì wǒ yīnggāi zuò de.
No need to thank me. It’s what I should do.
16. 别客气 bié kèqi — don’t be so polite
例句：别客气，进来吧 bié kèqi, jìnlái ba。
Bié kèqi, jìnlái ba.
Don’t be so polite, come in.
17. 没事 méi shì — it’s nothing
例句：没事，顺手而已 méi shì, shùnshǒu ér yǐ。
Méi shì, shùnshǒu ér yǐ.
It’s nothing, I just did it while I was at it.
18. 没关系 méi guānxi — no problem
例句：没关系，小事一桩 méi guānxi, xiǎoshì yì zhuāng。
Méi guānxi, xiǎoshì yì zhuāng.
No problem, it was a small thing.
19. 应该的 yīnggāi de — it’s only right
例句：照顾你是应该的 zhàogù nǐ shì yīnggāi de。
Zhàogù nǐ shì yīnggāi de.
Taking care of you is only right.
20. 哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli — not at all; you flatter me
例句：A：你帮了我大忙 nǐ bāng le wǒ dàmáng。B：哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli。
A: Nǐ bāng le wǒ dàmáng. B: Nǎli nǎli.
A: You helped me a lot. B: Not at all.
Mini Dialogue Cheat Sheet
| Situation | Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Basic thanks | 谢谢 xièxie | Thank you |
| More personal | 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ | Thank you |
| Polite | 谢谢您 xièxie nín | Thank you |
| Warm reply | 不客气 bú kèqi | You’re welcome |
| Natural reply | 不用谢 bú yòng xiè | No need to thank me |
| Casual reply | 没事 méi shì | It’s nothing |
| Friendly reply | 别客气 bié kèqi | Don’t be so polite |
| Formal thanks | 非常感谢 fēicháng gǎnxiè | Many thanks |
| Thanks for effort | 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le | Thanks for your hard work |
| Thanks after a favor | 麻烦你了 máfan nǐ le | Sorry to trouble you; thanks |
Grouped Tables Of Words
Core Thank You Phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谢谢 xièxie | thank you | 谢谢你的礼物 xièxie nǐ de lǐwù。 | Thank you for your gift. |
| 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ | thank you | 谢谢你来接我 xièxie nǐ lái jiē wǒ。 | Thank you for picking me up. |
| 谢谢您 xièxie nín | thank you (polite) | 谢谢您今天来 xièxie nín jīntiān lái。 | Thank you for coming today. |
| 多谢 duōxiè | many thanks | 这次多谢你 zhè cì duōxiè nǐ。 | Many thanks this time. |
| 太谢谢你了 tài xièxie nǐ le | thank you so much | 太谢谢你了，我放心多了 tài xièxie nǐ le, wǒ fàngxīn duō le。 | Thank you so much, I feel much more at ease. |
| 真谢谢你 zhēn xièxie nǐ | really thank you | 真谢谢你提醒我 zhēn xièxie nǐ tíxǐng wǒ。 | Really, thank you for reminding me. |
| 真的谢谢你 zhēn de xièxie nǐ | thank you, really | 真的谢谢你陪我去 zhēn de xièxie nǐ péi wǒ qù。 | Thank you, really, for going with me. |
| 太感谢了 tài gǎnxiè le | thanks so much | 有你帮忙太感谢了 yǒu nǐ bāngmáng tài gǎnxiè le。 | I’m so thankful for your help. |
Formal Or Stronger Thanks
| Phrase | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 非常感谢 fēicháng gǎnxiè | many thanks | 非常感谢您的耐心 fēicháng gǎnxiè nín de nàixīn。 | Thank you very much for your patience. |
| 十分感谢 shífēn gǎnxiè | deeply grateful | 我们十分感谢您的帮助 wǒmen shífēn gǎnxiè nín de bāngzhù。 | We deeply appreciate your help. |
| 特别感谢 tèbié gǎnxiè | special thanks | 特别感谢大家的支持 tèbié gǎnxiè dàjiā de zhīchí。 | Special thanks for everyone’s support. |
| 感激不尽 gǎnjī bù jìn | extremely grateful | 能得到你的帮助，我感激不尽 néng dédào nǐ de bāngzhù, wǒ gǎnjī bù jìn。 | I’m extremely grateful for your help. |
| 万分感谢 wànfēn gǎnxiè | immensely grateful | 对此我万分感谢 duì cǐ wǒ wànfēn gǎnxiè。 | I am immensely grateful for this. |
| 由衷感谢 yóuzhōng gǎnxiè | heartfelt thanks | 我由衷感谢你的信任 wǒ yóuzhōng gǎnxiè nǐ de xìnrèn。 | I sincerely thank you for your trust. |
| 衷心感谢 zhōngxīn gǎnxiè | sincere thanks | 衷心感谢您的到来 zhōngxīn gǎnxiè nín de dàolái。 | Sincere thanks for your arrival. |
| 深表感谢 shēnbiǎo gǎnxiè | express deep thanks | 我对你的支持深表感谢 wǒ duì nǐ de zhīchí shēnbiǎo gǎnxiè。 | I express deep gratitude for your support. |
Thanks For Help, Work, And Kindness
| Phrase | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le | thanks for your hard work | 今天大家辛苦了 jīntiān dàjiā xīnkǔ le。 | Thanks for your hard work today, everyone. |
| 麻烦你了 máfan nǐ le | sorry to trouble you; thanks | 这次又麻烦你了 zhè cì yòu máfan nǐ le。 | Sorry to trouble you again this time. |
| 让你费心了 ràng nǐ fèixīn le | thank you for your effort | 为了孩子的事让你费心了 wèile háizi de shì ràng nǐ fèixīn le。 | Thank you for going to so much trouble over the child’s matter. |
| 让你操心了 ràng nǐ cāoxīn le | thank you for worrying about it | 这段时间让你操心了 zhè duàn shíjiān ràng nǐ cāoxīn le。 | Sorry and thank you for worrying about things lately. |
| 让你破费了 ràng nǐ pòfèi le | thanks for treating me | 今天让你破费了 jīntiān ràng nǐ pòfèi le。 | Thanks for spending money on me today. |
| 谢谢关心 xièxie guānxīn | thanks for your concern | 谢谢关心，我好多了 xièxie guānxīn, wǒ hǎo duō le。 | Thanks for your concern. I’m much better now. |
| 谢谢帮忙 xièxie bāngmáng | thanks for the help | 谢谢帮忙，不然来不及 xièxie bāngmáng, bùrán lái bu jí。 | Thanks for the help, otherwise it would have been too late. |
| 谢谢提醒 xièxie tíxǐng | thanks for the reminder | 谢谢提醒，我差点忘了 xièxie tíxǐng, wǒ chàdiǎn wàng le。 | Thanks for the reminder. I almost forgot. |
Common You’re Welcome Replies
| Phrase | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不客气 bú kèqi | you’re welcome | 不客气，慢走 bú kèqi, màn zǒu。 | You’re welcome. Take care on your way. |
| 不用谢 bú yòng xiè | no need to thank me | 不用谢，应该的 bú yòng xiè, yīnggāi de。 | No need to thank me. It’s only right. |
| 别客气 bié kèqi | don’t be so polite | 别客气，坐吧 bié kèqi, zuò ba。 | Don’t be so polite. Sit down. |
| 没事 méi shì | it’s nothing | 没事，我顺手做的 méi shì, wǒ shùnshǒu zuò de。 | It’s nothing. I did it while I was at it. |
| 没关系 méi guānxi | no problem | 没关系，下次注意 méi guānxi, xiàcì zhùyì。 | No problem. Just be careful next time. |
| 小事 xiǎoshì | small matter | 小事，不用放在心上 xiǎoshì, bú yòng fàng zài xīn shàng。 | It’s a small thing. Don’t worry about it. |
| 应该的 yīnggāi de | it’s only right | 帮助朋友是应该的 bāngzhù péngyou shì yīnggāi de。 | Helping a friend is only right. |
| 客气了 kèqi le | you’re too polite | 你太客气了 nǐ tài kèqi le。 | You’re too polite. |
Softer Or More Natural Replies
| Phrase | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 举手之劳 jǔshǒu zhī láo | just a small favor | 这只是举手之劳 zhè zhǐ shì jǔshǒu zhī láo。 | This was only a small favor. |
| 不算什么 bù suàn shénme | it’s nothing much | 不算什么，真的 bù suàn shénme, zhēn de。 | It’s really nothing much. |
| 不值一提 bù zhí yì tí | not worth mentioning | 这点事不值一提 zhè diǎn shì bù zhí yì tí。 | This little thing is not worth mentioning. |
| 都是应该的 dōu shì yīnggāi de | it’s all only right | 这些都是应该的 zhèxiē dōu shì yīnggāi de。 | All of this is only right. |
| 顺手而已 shùnshǒu ér yǐ | I just did it while I was at it | 我就是顺手而已 wǒ jiù shì shùnshǒu ér yǐ。 | I just did it while I was at it. |
| 能帮上忙就好 néng bāng shàng máng jiù hǎo | glad I could help | 能帮上忙就好，你别客气 néng bāng shàng máng jiù hǎo, nǐ bié kèqi。 | I’m glad I could help. Don’t be so polite. |
| 能帮你我很高兴 néng bāng nǐ wǒ hěn gāoxìng | I’m happy I could help | 能帮你我很高兴 néng bāng nǐ wǒ hěn gāoxìng。 | I’m happy I could help you. |
| 应该谢谢你 yīnggāi xièxie nǐ | I should thank you | 其实应该谢谢你 qíshí yīnggāi xièxie nǐ。 | Actually, I should be thanking you. |
Variants And Nuance
| Pair | Difference | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| 谢谢 xièxie / 感谢 gǎnxiè | 谢谢 xièxie is everyday; 感谢 gǎnxiè feels more formal | Use 谢谢 xièxie first |
| 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ / 谢谢您 xièxie nín | 你 nǐ is casual; 您 nín is respectful | Use 您 nín with teachers, elders, customers |
| 不客气 bú kèqi / 不用谢 bú yòng xiè | Both mean “you’re welcome,” but 不用谢 bú yòng xiè sounds softer | Both are common and safe |
| 没事 méi shì / 没关系 méi guānxi | Both can mean “it’s okay,” but 没关系 méi guānxi is broader | Use after small thanks or mistakes |
| 哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli / 客气了 kèqi le | Both downplay praise or thanks | Good in polite or slightly humble replies |
Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes
- Using only 谢 xiè — too short for normal speech. Say 谢谢 xièxie.
- Using very formal phrases too early — 感激不尽 gǎnjī bù jìn is strong. It is not your everyday coffee-shop thank-you.
- Forgetting 您 nín — when speaking to elders, teachers, or customers, 谢谢您 xièxie nín sounds more respectful.
- Thinking 不客气 bú kèqi is the only reply — it is correct, but 不用谢 bú yòng xiè and 没事 méi shì often sound more relaxed.
- Translating word for word from English — Chinese often prefers short, natural phrases. Tiny and correct beats long and clunky every time.
Practice Section
Try these quick swaps out loud. Yes, out loud. Your mouth needs practice too.
- Friend helps you carry a bag → 谢谢你 xièxie nǐ
- Teacher gives feedback → 谢谢您 xièxie nín
- Someone says 谢谢 xièxie to you → 不客气 bú kèqi or 不用谢 bú yòng xiè
- Someone worked hard on a project → 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le
- Someone treated you to dinner → 让你破费了 ràng nǐ pòfèi le
- Someone reminds you about an appointment → 谢谢提醒 xièxie tíxǐng
Quick Reference Summary
- Safest thank you: 谢谢 xièxie
- Polite thank you: 谢谢您 xièxie nín
- Warm thank you: 太谢谢你了 tài xièxie nǐ le
- Safest you’re welcome: 不客气 bú kèqi
- Natural soft reply: 不用谢 bú yòng xiè
- Casual reply: 没事 méi shì
- Thanks for effort: 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le
- Thanks after causing trouble: 麻烦你了 máfan nǐ le
Final Yak Box
If your brain freezes, use 谢谢 xièxie. If someone thanks you back, use 不客气 bú kèqi. That tiny pair already gets you through a shocking amount of real life. Add 谢谢您 xièxie nín for politeness and 不用谢 bú yòng xiè for a softer reply, and suddenly you sound much less like a textbook with legs.
FAQ About Thank You And You’re Welcome In Chinese
Is 谢谢 xièxie enough in most situations?
Yes. 谢谢 xièxie is natural, common, and useful almost everywhere.
What Is The Most Common Reply To 谢谢 xièxie?
不客气 bú kèqi is the standard reply. 不用谢 bú yòng xiè is also very common.
When Should I Use 谢谢您 xièxie nín?
Use 谢谢您 xièxie nín when speaking to elders, teachers, customers, or anyone you want to address respectfully.
Does 辛苦了 xīnkǔ le Mean Thank You?
Not exactly word for word, but it often works like “thanks for your hard work” in Chinese.
Can I Use 感激不尽 gǎnjī bù jìn Every Day?
Usually no. It sounds strong and formal. Save it for bigger gratitude, not for someone handing you a napkin.
