不客氣 / 不客气
bù kèqi
In Chinese, "not at all" (as a response to gratitude) is expressed as 不客氣 / 不客气 (bù kèqi). If unsure, use 不客氣 / 不客气. Wiktionary also lists 不用謝 / 不用谢 (bùyòngxiè) and 不謝 / 不谢 (bùxiè).
Meaning: conventional reply to expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 不客氣 / 不客气 | bù kèqi |
| 不用謝 / 不用谢 | bùyòngxiè |
| 不謝 / 不谢 | bùxiè |
These phrases are used as conventional replies when someone expresses gratitude to you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 不客氣 / 不客气 literally means "don't be polite." The phrase 不用謝 / 不用谢 literally means "no need to thank."
Which one should you use?
不客氣 / 不客气 is the most standard and versatile way to say "you're welcome." In contrast, 不用謝 / 不用谢 is slightly more direct because it focuses specifically on the act of thanking.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
bù kèqi
Did you know?
- In very casual settings among close friends, you might hear people simply say 哪裡 / 哪里, which literally means 'where' but functions as 'where would it be that I deserve such thanks?'
- The character 客 /kè in 不客氣 / 不客气 refers to a 'guest' or 'visitor', implying that being overly polite is a behavior reserved for guests rather than friends.
- In many parts of China, if you want to be even more humble, you might say 沒事 / 没事, which literally means 'it is nothing' or 'it is no matter'.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “not at all” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
