Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 此致敬意 | cǐzhì jìngyì |
| 此致敬禮 / 此致敬礼 | cǐzhì jìnglǐ |
此致敬意 is used as a closing formula in written Chinese. It is not used as a spoken greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 此 (this/hereby), 致 (to send/express) and 敬意 (respect/regards).
Which one should you use?
While 此致敬意 focuses on expressing a feeling of respect, 此致敬礼 or 此致敬禮 focuses on the act of saluting or paying respects. Both are used interchangeably in formal correspondence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
此致敬意 is highly formal and is most appropriate for official business letters, academic correspondence or formal written communications. In formal and professional contexts, you might also use 祝一切顺利 to mean "wishing everything goes smoothly."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkien, 祝福你 can be used to express best regards or blessings.
How does it change in a sentence?
In a formal letter, 此致敬意 is typically placed on a new line at the end of the body text, often followed by the recipient's name or the sender's name on the subsequent line.
How do you pronounce it?
cǐzhì jìngyì
Did you know?
- While 此致敬意 is used for professional respect, using its sibling 此致敬礼 in a casual email can make you sound like a soldier reporting for duty. This is because 敬礼 literally refers to the physical act of a military salute.
- In formal written Chinese, the phrase 此致 is often placed alone on a new line, while the object it refers to, such as 敬意, is moved to the start of the very next line. This creates a visual 'staircase' effect in the layout of a formal letter.
- The structure of 此致敬意 follows a classical Chinese way of 'declaring' an action before performing it, acting almost like a formal announcement of your intent.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Xiaowen is teaching Zhiqiang how to write a formal email.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen志强，信的结尾可以用此致敬意。Zhìqiáng, xìn de jiéwěi kěyǐ yòng cǐzhì jìngyì.Zhiqiang, you can use 'best regards' at the end of the letter.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这个词是不是太正式了？Zhège cí shì bú shì tài zhèngshì le?Isn't this phrase too formal?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen给教授写信的话，这样很合适。Gěi jiàoshòu xiě xìn de huà, zhèyàng hěn héshì.If you are writing to a professor, this is very appropriate.
- 志强 Zhiqiang明白了，那我加上此致敬意。Míngbai le, nà wǒ jiāshàng cǐzhì jìngyì.I see, then I will add 'best regards'.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “best regards” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
