qǐng
standard, pinyin
Please in Chinese is qǐng in pinyin, written 请 in characters. For asking a favor, máfan nǐ means "sorry to trouble you".
Meaning: polite request word (verb)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Note |
|---|---|
| qǐng | standard, pinyin |
| máfan nǐ | polite, asking a favor |
qǐng goes before the verb, as in qǐng zuò for "please sit". It also means "to invite" or "to ask".
Which one should you use?
Chinese has no single word for please that works in every situation. qǐng is for offers, and máfan nǐ or qǐngwèn ("may I ask") is for requests.
How do you pronounce it?
The third tone in qǐng dips and rises, and the q sounds like "ch" in "cheese".
Did you know?
- The phrase qǐngwèn, "may I ask", is the usual way to open a question to a stranger in Chinese.
Examples in context
- Qǐng zuò.Please sit.
- Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi chá.Please give me a cup of tea.
- Máfan nǐ bāng wǒ yīxià.Could you help me for a moment?
Example conversation
Lin welcomes a guest, Peng, into her living room.
- LinQǐng jìn, qǐng zuò.Please come in, please sit.
- PengXièxie.Thank you.
- LinQǐng hē chá.Please have some tea.
