对不起
duìbuqǐ
I'm sorry
How to say "you're welcome" in Chinese
不客气
bú kèqi
You're welcome
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
不 (bù) means 'not', and 客气 (kèqi) means 'polite' or 'courteous'. Literally 'don't be polite', it implies 'no need for thanks'.
Variations and politeness
不谢
bú xiè
Not at all — Shorter and more casual.
别客气
bié kèqi
Don't mention it — Softer and friendlier, like "no need to stand on ceremony".
不用谢
bú yòng xiè
No need to thank me — Colloquial and shorter variant.
Mini dialogue
A
谢谢你！
xièxiè nǐ!
Thank you!
B
不客气！
bú kèqi!
You're welcome!
When to use it
Appropriate
- When responding to someone thanking you, in any situation.
- When you want to be polite but not overly formal.
- When someone thanks you for a small favor or service.
Avoid when
- When someone apologizes to you; use 没关系 (méi guānxi) instead.
- When you want to say 'please' as in offering something; use 请 (qǐng) instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'you're welcome' in Chinese?
The most common way is 不客气 (bú kèqi). It literally means 'don't be polite' and is used in all situations.
How do you pronounce 不客气?
It is pronounced bú kèqi. Note that 不 changes from bù to bú before a fourth tone, so it sounds like 'boo kuh-chee'.
When do you use 不客气?
Use it as a reply to 谢谢 (xièxie, thank you). It's appropriate in both casual and formal settings.
More phrases for this situation
Tomyo
Learn Chinese with spaced repetition
Remember 不客气 and hundreds of other phrases with smart reviews, audio and examples.