{"id":1293,"date":"2021-05-05T08:19:42","date_gmt":"2021-05-05T00:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/?p=1293"},"modified":"2023-08-15T12:55:51","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T04:55:51","slug":"youre-welcome-in-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maayot.com\/blog\/youre-welcome-in-chinese\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chinese Way of Welcome: ‘You’re welcome’ in Mandarin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When compared to Koreans and Japanese, Chinese people tend to be very open and direct. This is why (contrary to what some people may think) Chinese language doesn\u2019t have as many polite forms and elegant words to express respect and gratitude as for example Japanese. In fact, being polite in English is sometimes harder than being polite in Chinese. Luckily for foreign learners, expressing gratitude or respect in Chinese is natural and easy.<\/strong> You don’t have to worry too much about upsetting someone because of choosing a wrong polite form depending on different situation or their status. In many ways, Chinese language is much easier than people think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Despite the fact that a Chinese person will not be offended too easily, there is still a lot of expressions that are Chinese equivalents of \u201cyou are welcome\u201d and “no problem”. <\/strong>China is a massive place, so its language is rich with different ways of saying it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are couple of easy expressions you definitely need to know. Most of them are appropriate for both formal and informal situations. In this article, you will learn at least 6 most common of them and their different variations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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  1. \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14<\/strong>\/\u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c23(Tw), [b\u00f9 k\u00e8 q\u00ec]: it is a very common expression used in China and if you go there, you may say it very often. \u5ba2\u6c14 means \u201cpolite, politeness\u201d, meanwhile \u4e0d means \u201cno\u201d. \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14 thus really means \u201cdon\u2019t be polite\u201d or \u201cno politeness\u201d. It is translated to English as “you’re welcome”. \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14 is perfect for everyday use. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • \u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\uff01[Xi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0!]: Thank you\uff01<\/em><\/li>
    • \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14. You\u2019re welcome.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      There are many more expressions with \u5ba2\u6c14. Another one of them is \u4e0d\u7528\u5ba2\u6c14<\/strong> [b\u00fay\u00f2ng k\u00e8 q\u00ec], which is almost the same as \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14.  \u4e0d\u7528 means \u201cno need to\u201d. When you talk with friends (or that smiling Chinese shop owner you visit on a daily basis), you can often hear an abbreviation of it, which is \u4e0d\u7528<\/strong>. It can also be said twice, since Chinese really like duplicating short words: \u4e0d\u7528! \u4e0d\u7528!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • \u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\u7684\u5e2e\u5fd9\uff01[Xi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0de b\u0101ngm\u00e1ng!]: Thank you for your help. <\/em><\/li>
      • \u4e0d\u7528\uff01You’re welcome.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Another useful expression with \u5ba2\u6c14 is \u522b\u5ba2\u6c14 [bi\u00e9 k\u00e8 q\u00ec]. As you may have heard, \u522b is a prefix used with verbs and adjectives that means \u201cdon\u2019t do\/be something\u201d (\u522b + ADJ.\/VERB = don\u2019t be + ADJ. or don\u2019t do + VERB). Therefore, \u522b\u5ba2\u6c14 literally means \u201cdon\u2019t be polite”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • \u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\u7ed9\u6211\u4ecb\u7ecd\u4e86\u8fd9\u4e2a\u673a\u4f1a\uff01[Xi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0 g\u011bi w\u01d2 ji\u00e8sh\u00e0o le zh\u00e8ge j\u012bhu\u00ec!] Thank you for sharing this opportunity with me!<\/em><\/li>
        • \u522b\u5ba2\u6c14\uff01You’re welcome!<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          2.  \u6ca1\u4e8b\/\u6c92\u4e8b (Tw), [m\u00e9ish\u00ec]: it is another common expression which is also less formal than \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14. \u6ca1 is a negative prefix used for verbs which means \u201chave not\/not\u201d, meanwhile \u4e8b means \u201cthing\u201d or \u201cmatter\u201d. You may wonder why is a prefix for verbs used before a noun? It is because \u6ca1\u4e8b is in fact an abbreviation of \u6ca1\u6709\u4e8b, with \u6709 meaning here \u201cthere is\u201d. \u6ca1\u4e8b thus literally means \u201cthere is no matter\u201d, but the correct translation would be \u201cIt\u2019s nothing\u201d or \u201cIt\u2019s not a big deal\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Instead of \u4e8b, you can also say \u95ee\u9898\/\u554f\u984c (Tw), [w\u00e8nt\u00ed], which means \u201cproblem\u201d. Therefore, \u6ca1\u95ee\u9898 means \u201cno problem\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          • \u4f60\u5e26\u6765\u4e86\u6211\u6700\u559c\u6b22\u7684\u9910\uff01\u8c22\u8c22\uff01[N\u01d0 d\u00e0il\u00e1i le w\u01d2 zu\u00ec x\u01d0huan de c\u0101n! Xi\u00e8xi\u00e8!]: You have brought my favorite food! Thank you!<\/em><\/li>
          • \u6ca1\u4e8b\uff0c\u6ca1\u4e8b\u3002No problem.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            3. \u4e0d\u7528\u8c22<\/strong>\/\u4e0d\u7528\u8b1d (Tw), [b\u00fay\u00f2ng xi\u00e8]: it is an expression similar to \u4e0d\u7528\u5ba2\u6c14, and literally means \u201cno need to thank (me)\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            • \u5c0f\u5fc3\uff01\u4f60\u7684\u56f4\u5dfe\u4e22\u6389\u4e86\uff01[Xi\u01ceox\u012bn! N\u01d0de w\u00e9ij\u012bn di\u016bdi\u00e0o le!]: Careful! You lost your scarf!<\/em><\/li>
            • \u54ce\uff01\u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\uff01[\u0101i! xi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0!]: Oh! Thank you!<\/em> \u54ce [\u0101i] is a commonly used interjection, used to show surprise or disapproval. <\/li>
            • \u4e0d\u7528\u8c22\uff01[b\u00fay\u00f2ng xi\u00e8]: No problem \/ Don\u2019t mention it. <\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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              There are more expressions that use \u8c22. For instance, \u4e0d\u8c22<\/strong> is a short way of saying \u4e0d\u7528\u8c22. You can also say \u522b\u8c22\u4e86 [bi\u00e9 xi\u00e8 le], that follows the same logic as \u522b\u5ba2\u6c14 and literally means “stop thanking”. Another useful expression is also \u8c22\u4ec0\u4e48\u5462<\/strong> [xi\u00e8 sh\u00e9nme ne]. \u5462 is an auxiliary word that appears at the end of a special or rhetorical question. Since \u4ec0\u4e48 means “what”, the expression \u8c22\u4ec0\u4e48\u5462 literally means “What are you thanking for” and is a rhetorical question. It is another way of saying “your welcome” and it is less formal than \u4e0d\u5ba2\u6c14.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

              4. \u5c0f\u610f\u601d [xi\u01ceo y\u00ecs\u012b]: it indicates that someone did not spend a lot of effort in order to help. If translated literally, it would mean a \u201csmall token of one\u2019s regard\u201d or \u201ca little thing\/mere trifle\u201d. It is closer in meaning to \u6ca1\u4e8b. \u610f\u601d itself has lots of meanings, and this article is too short to enlist all of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Example use: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              • \u4f60\u53ef\u4ee5\u5e2e\u6211\u770b\u6211\u7684\u884c\u674e\u5417\uff1f\u6211\u7b49\u4e00\u4e0b\u56de\u6765\u3002[N\u01d0 k\u011by\u01d0 bang w\u01d2 k\u00e0n w\u01d2de x\u00edngli ma? w\u01d2 d\u011bng y\u012bxi\u00e0 hu\u00edl\u00e1i] Can you take a look at my luggage? I will be back in a moment.<\/em><\/li>
              • \u597d\uff0c\u4f60\u53bb\u5427\u3002[h\u01ceo\uff0cn\u01d0 q\u00f9 ba] Okay, you can go.<\/em><\/li>
              • \u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\uff01Thank you!<\/em><\/li>
              • \u5c0f\u610f\u601d\u3002No problem.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                5. \u4e0d\u4f1a<\/strong>\/\u4e0d\u6703 (Tw) [b\u00fahu\u00ec]: this expression is also an abbreviation of a longer sentence and literally means \u201cit won\u2019t (cause me trouble)\u201d. The \u201ccost me trouble part\u201d is skipped. Therefore, it simply means \u201cno problem\u201d. \u4e0d\u4f1a is commonly used in everyday life situations. Since it is a short expression just as \u4e0d\u7528 and \u6ca1\u4e8b, it can also be duplicated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                • \u4f60\u53ef\u4ee5\u5e2e\u6211\u590d\u5370\u8fd9\u4ef6\u5417\uff1f\u8c22\u8c22\u4f60\uff01[n\u01d0 k\u011by\u01d0 bang w\u01d2 f\u00f9y\u00ecn zh\u00e8ji\u00e0n ma\uff1fxi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0] Can you help me print out this one? Thank you!<\/em><\/li>
                • \u4e0d\u4f1a\uff0c\u4e0d\u4f1a\u3002No problem!<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  6. \u4e0d\u9ebb\u70e6<\/strong>\/\u4e0d\u9ebb\u7169 (Tw)\uff0c[b\u00f9 m\u00e1fan]: it is another expression that can be translated to “no problem”. \u9ebb\u70e6 literally means a trouble, problem. Therefore, \u4e0d\u9ebb\u70e6 literally means “no trouble” or “no problem”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  You may remember that one of the ways to say “thank you” in Chinese is \u9ebb\u70e6\u4f60\u4e86 [m\u00e1fan n\u01d0 le], which literally means “I have troubled you”. \u4e0d\u9ebb\u70e6 is a perfect response for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Example use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  • \u4f60\u53ef\u4ee5\u628a\u6211\u80cc\u5305\u653e\u5728\u6211\u623f\u95f4\u91cc\u9762\u5417\uff1f\u9ebb\u70e6\u4f60\u4e86\u3002[n\u01d0 k\u011by\u01d0 b\u01ce w\u01d2 b\u0113ib\u0101o f\u00e0ng z\u00e0i w\u01d2 f\u00e1ngji\u0101n l\u01d0mi\u00e0n ma\uff1fM\u00e1fan n\u01d0 le] Can you put my backpack in my room? Thank you (I have troubled you).<\/em><\/li>
                  • \u4e0d\u9ebb\u70e6\u3002No problem.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Need help with learning Chinese? You have come to the right place! In Maayot<\/a>, we can help you master Chinese characters, improve your reading and explain every bit of grammar you find puzzling. If you would like to know more about the Chinese language and culture, check out some of our articles below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n