对不起

對不起

duìbuqǐ

phrase HSK 1 #200

Meanings

Literally 'cannot face (you)' — expressing that you feel too ashamed to face the other person.

对不起，我来晚了。

Duìbuqǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le.

Sorry, I arrived late.

对不起，请再说一次。

Duìbuqǐ, qǐng zài shuō yí cì.

Sorry, please say it again.

history

The literal meaning is 'unable to face (you),' reflecting the Chinese cultural emphasis on 'face' (面子). When you wrong someone, you cannot face them.

usage

The standard response to 对不起 is 没关系 — 'it doesn't matter / no problem.'

对 duì

不 bù

起 qǐ