Thank You / You’re Welcome in Chinese（謝謝 / 不客氣 — Xièxie / Bú kèqi）

If you want to sound polite in Mandarin fast, start here. 謝謝 xièxie means “thank you,” and 不客氣 bú kèqi means “you’re welcome.” Tiny phrases, huge usefulness. Language learners love to overcomplicate this part, which is adorable, but in real life these two little phrases do a lot of heavy lifting.

For the broader learning path, visit our parent guide.

In Taiwan, you’ll hear these all the time at convenience stores, cafés, offices, and family dinners. Say them often, say them naturally, and you instantly sound a lot more human. Not perfect. Just human. Which is usually the goal, honestly.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to say thank you, respond politely, and avoid the classic “Why did I just say the wrong kind of welcome?” moment. Deliciously awkward, but fixable.

Core Phrases

How To Say “Thank You”

The most common way is 謝謝 xièxie. It works in almost every normal situation. If you want to be extra clear or slightly more formal, you can say 謝謝你 xièxie nǐ or 謝謝您 xièxie nín.

Rule → Example

In spoken Mandarin, 謝謝 often sounds like two quick beats: xiè + xie. The second syllable is usually light and unstressed. So no, you do not need to attack it like a drum solo.

謝謝 is the safe, all-purpose choice. If you only remember one phrase in this article, make it this one.

How To Say “You’re Welcome”

The most common answer is 不客氣 bú kèqi. It literally means something like “don’t be polite” or “no need to be courteous,” which is a very Mandarin kind of response. It sounds natural, neutral, and useful everywhere.

Here are other common replies you will hear in Taiwan:

Rule → Example

If you want a very Taiwan-friendly answer, 不會 bú huì is worth learning. It shows up a lot in casual conversation. A shop clerk, classmate, or neighbor may use it instead of 不客氣. It does not mean “I won’t.” Mandarin enjoys this kind of chaos.

Useful Everyday Phrases

These phrases help you move beyond the basic thank-you loop and sound more natural in real life. Because language is not a museum display. It’s a living thing. Annoying, but true.

Small But Important Nuances

謝謝 is friendly and safe. 不客氣 is the standard reply. Simple enough. But here are the little details that save you from sounding oddly stiff.

One extra note: 不客氣 is not a literal “you’re welcome” in the English sense of a special reply you must use every time. Mandarin speakers have a few polite ways to respond, and the exact choice depends on the situation. That’s why you may hear 不會, 沒關係, or 應該的 instead.

If you want a boring but reliable place to check phrasing and pronunciation, the Cambridge Dictionary style of learner support is helpful in general, and for Chinese-specific word checking, MOE Dictionary is the sort of authoritative rabbit hole that quietly saves lives.

Common Reply Patterns

When someone thanks you, you do not need a dramatic speech. Mandarin likes clean, short responses. Nice. Efficient. Slightly suspicious, but nice.

Everyday Situations

Here are a few mini scenes from real life, because that is where vocabulary actually earns its rent.

Practice

Try these quick drills. No need to make it a personality test.

• Translate into Chinese: “Thank you.” → 謝謝 xièxie
• Translate into Chinese: “You’re welcome.” → 不客氣 bú kèqi
• Say “Thanks for your help.” → 謝謝你的幫忙 xièxie nǐ de bāngmáng
• Say “No problem.” → 沒關係 méi guānxi
• Say “Not at all.” in a casual Taiwan style → 不會 bú huì

Now swap the thank-you phrase into these sentences:

Common Mistakes And Fixes

These are the little traps that English speakers stumble into. No shame. Mandarin has enough weirdness already.

Tone note: 不客氣 is usually pronounced bú kèqi, with 不 changing tone before a fourth-tone syllable. Same idea with 不是 bú shì and 不對 bú duì. Mandarin loves tone changes just enough to keep learners humble.

Quick Reference Summary

• 謝謝 xièxie = thank you
• 不客氣 bú kèqi = you’re welcome
• 不會 bú huì = not at all; you’re welcome, common in Taiwan
• 沒關係 méi guānxi = it’s okay; no problem
• 不用謝 bú yòng xiè = no need to thank me
• 應該的 yīnggāi de = it should be done; my pleasure
• 謝謝您 xièxie nín = thank you, polite
• 麻煩你了 máfan nǐ le = sorry to trouble you; thanks for the trouble
• 辛苦你了 xīnkǔ nǐ le = you worked hard; thanks for your effort
• 先謝了 xiān xiè le = thanks in advance

If you want more everyday Mandarin like this, it helps to keep building from the basics. A good next stop is Essential Trad Chinese Phrases, or you can compare this with How Are You in Trad Chinese. For extra practice, try the Traditional Chinese Vocabulary Test or the Traditional Chinese Placement Test TOCFL.

Yak Takeaway: If you remember 謝謝 xièxie and 不客氣 bú kèqi, you can survive a lot of everyday politeness in Chinese. Add 不會 bú huì for Taiwan-style casual speech, and you’re already sounding much less like a textbook with legs.