Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 謝謝 / 谢谢 | xièxie | ||
| 三Q | sān-Q | /sän⁵⁵ kʰi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /sän⁵⁵ kʰi̯oʊ̯²/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
slang |
| 感謝您 / 感谢您 | formal | ||
| 感谢您 | gǎnxiè nín | ||
| 多謝 / 多谢 | to-siā | Hokkien | |
| 感謝 / 感谢 | kám-siā | Hokkien | |
| 勞力 / 劳力 | ló͘-la̍t | Hokkien |
The most common and universally understood way to say 'thank you' is 謝謝 (xièxie), which is suitable for both formal and informal situations. For more emphasis or a more serious tone, 感谢 (gǎnxiè) carries more weight and is a more formal expression of gratitude.
What does it mean word for word?
In Hokkien, the term 多謝 (to-siā) literally means 'many thanks' or 'much thanks', while 感謝 (kám-siā) means 'to feel gratitude'.
Which one should you use?
While 謝謝 (xièxie) is the standard everyday way to express thanks, 感谢 (gǎnxiè) is more formal. In Hokkien, you may also encounter 多謝 (to-siā), 感謝 (kám-siā) and 勞力 (ló͘-la̍t).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For casual interactions, you can use 谢谢你 (xièxiè nǐ) to sound friendly or add a casual flavor by saying 谢谢啦 (xièxiè la). For a playful or slang approach, one might use 三Q (sān-Q), which is derived from the English pronunciation of 'thank you'. In formal settings, 多谢 (duōxiè) is a polite option and 非常感谢 (fēicháng gǎnxiè) can be used to say 'thank you very much'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Dungan language, spoken by Chinese-speaking Muslims in Central Asia, you can use дуәще (duəxiə) or the Turkic loanword рахмат (rahmat). In Hokkien, the terms 多謝 (to-siā), 感謝 (kám-siā) and 勞力 (ló͘-la̍t) are used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To show extra respect in formal situations, use the form 感谢您 (gǎnxiè nín), which utilizes the polite second-person pronoun 您 (nín) instead of the standard 你 (nǐ).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for 謝謝 / 谢谢 is xièxie.
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese culture, constantly saying 謝謝 to close family members can actually be seen as cold or distancing, as it implies a formal debt rather than a familial bond.
- The Dungan language uses a Cyrillic script to write Chinese, which is why the phrase дуәще looks like Russian but sounds like 謝謝.
- In some Chinese contexts, a person may respond to 謝謝 by saying 不客氣 (bú kèqì), which literally tells the other person 'do not be a guest'.
Examples in context
- 我衷心感谢您。I thank you with all my heart.This sentence is useful for expressing heartfelt gratitude using 感谢您.Tatoeba #803835 by fucongcong, translation #436985 by lukaszpp
- 再次感谢您的关注。Thank you once again for your attention.This sentence shows how to use 感谢您 to thank someone for their attention.Tatoeba #3479485 by UomoChina, translation #7782285 by sharris123
- 为了感谢您，这里有份礼物。To thank you, here is a gift.This sentence demonstrates how to use 感谢您 when providing a gift as a gesture of thanks.Tatoeba #336660 by fucongcong, translation #7782265 by sharris123
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries 三Q, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
