抱歉

bàoqiàn

verb HSK 4 #192

Meanings

To hold regret - to feel sorry.

HSK 1

抱歉，我来晚了。

Bàoqiàn, wǒ lái wǎn le.

Sorry, I'm late.

HSK 3

很抱歉让你久等了。

Hěn bàoqiàn ràng nǐ jiǔděng le.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

HSK 5

对于这次事故造成的损失，我们感到十分抱歉。

Duìyú zhècì shìgù zàochéng de sǔnshī, wǒmen gǎndào shífēn bàoqiàn.

We feel very sorry for the losses caused by this accident.

usage

Apology scale: 不好意思 (mild, 'excuse me') → 对不起 (standard 'sorry') → 抱歉 (more formal 'I apologize') → 道歉 (the formal act of apologizing).

抱 bào

歉 qiàn