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 way to say thank you in Mandarin Chinese is 謝謝. If you want to convey a deeper or more sincere sense of gratitude, use 感谢.
Which one should you use?
In Hokkien, to-siā is typically used when expressing thanks for a specific favor or service, while kám-siā is a more formal and heartfelt way to express gratitude. In Mandarin, the term 感谢您 uses the polite form of 'you' to make the expression much more respectful than standard versions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sān-Q is a playful, slangy way to say thank you that mimics the English pronunciation. In Mandarin, using 感谢您 is a formal way to express thanks to someone you wish to show respect to. For Dungan speakers, both дуәще and рахмат are used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Dungan (the language of Chinese-speaking Muslims in Central Asia), you can use дуәще or the form рахмат, which is derived from Turkic or Arabic roots. In Hokkien, you may use 多謝 / 多谢, 感謝 / 感谢 or 勞力 / 劳力.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for 謝謝 / 谢谢 is xièxie.
Did you know?
- In some traditional Chinese social contexts, saying 謝謝 too early or too often can actually be seen as creating distance between friends, as it implies the favor was a formal transaction rather than a natural act of kinship.
- In Hokkien, the distinction between to-siā and kám-siā can be so sharp that using the formal version for a trivial task can be interpreted as sarcasm or mocking politeness.
- In Hokkien, the expression 勞力 is used to express gratitude, but its literal characters mean 'labor' or 'hard work', effectively thanking someone for their effort.
Examples in context
- 我衷心感谢您。I thank you with all my heart.This sentence is useful for showing deep, heartfelt thanks using the form 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 is useful for showing thanks once more using the form 感谢您.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 is useful for offering a gift as a way to show gratitude using the form 感谢您.Tatoeba #336660 by fucongcong, translation #7782265 by sharris123
- Bú yòng xiè. (不用谢。)You're welcome.
- Xièxie, nǐ yěshì. (谢谢，你也是。)Thank you, you too.
- 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.
