How to say “excuse me” in Chinese
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
请问 (literally 'may I ask') is the polite way to get attention before a question. To say excuse me for bumping someone, use 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi).
In a sentence
请问，洗手间在哪里？
Qǐngwèn, xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?
Excuse me, where is the toilet?
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "excuse me" in Chinese?+
"excuse me" in Mandarin Chinese is 请问, pronounced qǐngwèn. 请问 (literally 'may I ask') is the polite way to get attention before a question. To say excuse me for bumping someone, use 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi).
What does 请问 mean literally?+
请问 breaks down as 请 (qǐng) = please, 问 (wèn) = to ask. Together it means "excuse me".
How do I get the tones right in qǐngwèn?+
请问 (literally 'may I ask') is the polite way to get attention before a question. To say excuse me for bumping someone, use 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi).
More phrases like this
Master the tones behind it
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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