In Chinese culture, you thank others for actions that benefit you or show you respect. Such actions include doing something for you, taking the time to visit or write you, or helping you in some way. In Chinese culture, you do not thank others for compliments or invitations.
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Gratitude is expressed in Chinese with the following expressions:
谢谢/謝謝 xièxiè ‘thank you’
谢谢你帮我忙。
謝謝你幫我忙。
Xièxiè nǐ bāng wǒ máng.
Thank you for helping me.
感谢/感謝 gǎnxiè ‘gratefully thank; appreciate’
非常感谢您的建议。
非常感謝您的建議。
Fēicháng gǎnxiè nín de jiànyì.
I greatly appreciate your suggestions.
表示感谢/表示感謝 biǎoshì gǎnxiè ‘to express thanks’
这点小礼物表示我们的感谢。 请笑纳。
這點小禮物表示我們的感謝。 請笑納。
Zhè diǎn xiǎo lǐwù biǎoshì wǒmen de gǎnxiè. Qǐng xiàonà.
This little gift expresses our thanks. Please accept our humble gift.
道谢/道謝 dàoxiè ‘to thank, to express thanks’
我代表我们公司向您道谢。
我代表我們公司向您道謝。
Wǒ dàibiǎo wǒmen gōngsī xiàng nín dàoxiè.
I represent our company in expressing our thanks to you.
To express gratitude without saying ‘thank you,’ use the following expressions:
太麻烦你了。
太麻煩你了。
Tài máfan nǐ le.
This caused you too much trouble. (I’ve troubled you too much.)
太辛苦了。
Tài xīnkǔ le.
or
辛苦你了。
Xīnkǔ nǐ le.
This was really a lot of work for you.
真不好意思。
Zhēn bù hǎo yìsi.
I’m really embarrassed (to have caused you trouble).
In Chinese, it is considered presumptuous or rude to accept compliments, praise, and expressions of gratitude. Chinese does not have an expression equivalent to ‘you’re welcome’ in English. Common appropriate responses to expressions of gratitude include the following:
| 不谢。 | 没事。 | 没什么。 |
| 不謝。 | 沒事。 | 沒甚麼。 |
| Bù xiè. | Méi shì. | Méi shénme. |
| Don’t thank me. | It wasn’t anything. | It wasn’t anything. |
| (It was nothing.) | (It was nothing.) | |
| 不客气。 | 不必客气。 | 你太客气了。 |
| 不客氣。 | 不必客氣。 | 你太客氣了。 |
| Bù kèqi. | Bù bì kèqi. | Nǐ tài kèqi le. |
| Don’t be polite. | Don’t be polite. | You are too polite. |
| 哪里。 | 哪儿的话？ | |
| 哪裏。 | 哪兒的話？ | |
| Nǎlǐ. | Nǎr de huà | |
| It was nothing. | What kind of talk is that? |
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