Bu haoyisi (不好意思): Excuse me, where is this place?

不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) literally means "not good meaning" but functions as an apology or polite interjection. 这个地方 (zhège dìfang) means "this place," 在 (zài) is "to be at," and 哪里 (nǎlǐ) means "where." The sentence structure is: [place] + 在 + 哪里?

Variations and politeness

请问，这个地方在哪里？

qǐngwèn, zhège dìfang zài nǎlǐ?

Excuse me, where is this place? — More polite, with '请问' (may I ask).

这个地方在哪儿？

zhège dìfang zài nǎr?

Where is this place? — More casual and shorter.

Mini dialogue

不好意思，这个地方在哪里？

bù hǎoyìsi, zhège dìfang zài nǎlǐ?

Excuse me, where is this place?

就在前面，左转就到了。

jiù zài qiánmiàn, zuǒ zhuǎn jiù dào le.

It's just ahead, turn left and you'll be there.

When to use it

Appropriate

When you need to ask a stranger for directions and want to sound polite and slightly apologetic for interrupting.
When you are showing someone a place on a map or a photo and asking where it is.

Avoid when

When you are asking a friend or someone you know well; using 不好意思 would sound overly formal.
When you have done something wrong and need to apologize sincerely; 不好意思 is too light, use 对不起 instead.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say "Excuse me, where is this place?" in Chinese?

You can say "不好意思，这个地方在哪里？" (bù hǎoyìsi, zhège dìfang zài nǎlǐ?).

How do you pronounce "不好意思，这个地方在哪里？"?

It is pronounced "bù hǎoyìsi, zhège dìfang zài nǎlǐ?" with the tones: bù (4th), hǎo (3rd), yì (4th), si (neutral), zhè (4th), ge (neutral), dì (4th), fang (neutral), zài (4th), nǎ (3rd), lǐ (3rd).

When do you use "不好意思，这个地方在哪里？"?

Use it when you need to ask a stranger for directions politely, especially if you are interrupting them. It is appropriate for both formal and informal situations with people you don't know.