Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 對不起 / 对不起 | duìbùqǐ |
| 抱歉 | bàoqiàn |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi |
| 對不住 / 对不住 | duìbùzhù |
抱歉 is used to express regret or sorrow, often in more professional or written contexts. 不好意思 is frequently used to mean 'excuse me' when trying to get someone's attention, to express slight embarrassment or to politely decline an offer or request without being blunt.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 對不起 / 对不起 literally means 'cannot face/meet [someone].'
Which one should you use?
不好意思 is often used to mean 'excuse me' when trying to get someone's attention or to express slight embarrassment. 對不住 / 对不住 is a more colloquial and slightly more heavy-hearted way to say 'I've let you down' or 'I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill an obligation.'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
抱歉 is a formal way to express regret and is often used in written contexts or professional settings. For instance, you can use 很抱歉 (I'm very sorry) or 实在抱歉 (I'm really sorry) to remain formal. In contrast, 不好意思 is an informal way to say sorry. Similarly, 对不起啦 is an informal way to say sorry.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 抱歉, you can express the intensity of your regret by adding degree adverbs like 很 (hěn) or 非常 (fēicháng) before it, such as in 很抱歉.
How do you pronounce it?
duìbùqǐ
Did you know?
- The word 抱歉 contains the character 歉, which originally referred to a poor harvest or a lack of grain, linking the feeling of regret to a sense of deficiency.
- When responding to 對不起, a common reply is 沒關係, which literally means 'it has no relation' or 'it is not connected', implying the incident is too small to affect the relationship.
- In some professional contexts, saying 抱歉 is preferred over 對不起 because it expresses a feeling of regret without necessarily admitting a legal or absolute liability.
Examples in context
- 我深感抱歉。I am sincerely sorry.This sentence shows how to express sincere regret using 抱歉.Tatoeba #13519444 by LeviHighway, translation #13117667 by atitarev
- 抱歉，打错了。Sorry, wrong number.This sentence uses 抱歉 to apologize for a mistake like a wrong number.Tatoeba #13943170 by jan_OkulaJu, translation #1290129 by Eldad
- 我听了感到抱歉。I'm sorry to hear it.This sentence demonstrates how to use 抱歉 to express sympathy for bad news.Tatoeba #5900185 by verdastelo9604, translation #41765 by CK
- 对不起，我迟到了。Sorry, I'm late.
- 实在抱歉，给您带来不便。I'm really sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
- 很抱歉，我弄丢了你的钥匙。I'm very sorry, I lost your keys.
- 抱歉，我忘记买糖了。Sorry, I forgot to buy the sugar.
- 对不起啦，我打破了你的杯子。Sorry, I broke your cup.
- 122 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sorry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
