How to say “excuse me” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
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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
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).
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