对不起
duìbuqǐ
I'm sorry
How to say "thank you" specifically to someone in Chinese
谢谢你
xièxie nǐ
Thank you
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
谢谢你 combines 谢谢 (xièxie, 'thank you') with 你 (nǐ, 'you'). The addition of 'you' makes the thanks more direct and personal.
Variations and politeness
谢谢你们
xièxie nǐmen
Thank you all — More polite, used when addressing a group.
多谢
duōxiè
Many thanks — Colloquial and more emotional.
谢了
xièle
Thanks — Shorter and informal.
Mini dialogue
A
谢谢你帮我
xièxie nǐ bāng wǒ
Thank you for helping me.
B
没问题！
méi wèntí
No problem!
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you want to thank someone directly and personally.
- After someone has done a specific favor for you.
- In casual or semi-formal situations where you want to show sincere gratitude.
Avoid when
- In very formal settings where a simple '谢谢' is more appropriate.
- When thanking a group of people; use '谢谢你们' instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'thank you' in Chinese?
You can say '谢谢' (xièxie) or '谢谢你' (xièxie nǐ) to thank someone directly. The latter is more personal.
How do you pronounce '谢谢你'?
It is pronounced 'xièxie nǐ', with the 'x' like a soft 'sh' and the tone falling on 'xiè' and rising on 'nǐ'.
When do you use '谢谢你' instead of just '谢谢'?
Use '谢谢你' when you want to emphasize the person you are thanking, such as after a specific favor. It feels slightly more intimate than '谢谢' alone.
More phrases for this situation
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