How to Say Thank You in Chinese

The most common way to say thank you in Chinese is 谢谢 (xièxie). You can use it for anything from a barista handing you coffee to a friend doing you a favor. To make it warmer, add 你 (nǐ): 谢谢你 (xièxie nǐ), "thank you." For elders, teachers, or customers, use the polite form 谢谢您 (xièxie nín).

Ways to say thank you

How strong is each one?

Think of these on a scale from quick and casual to formal and heartfelt:

• 谢谢 / 谢谢你 — everyday thanks for small favors. Your default.
• 多谢 — casual "many thanks," common in speech and messaging.
• 感谢 / 非常感谢 — heartfelt or formal, for meaningful help, speeches, and writing.
• 太感谢了 — emotional "thanks so much!" when you're genuinely relieved or touched.

Example sentences

How do you reply to "thank you"?

When someone thanks you, "you're welcome" has several natural options:

The two go-to replies are 不客气 (bú kèqi), literally "don't be polite," and 不用谢 (búyòng xiè), "no need to thank me." Note that 不 (bù) shifts to a rising tone, bú, before the falling-tone syllables that follow — a natural sound change, so you'll hear "bú kèqi," not "bù kèqi."

A cultural note

Among very close friends and family, saying 谢谢 for every little thing can actually feel distant — as if you're treating them like a stranger. You'll sometimes hear 你太客气了 (nǐ tài kèqi le, "you're being too polite"). Save the profuse thanks for genuine favors and people outside your inner circle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say thank you in Chinese?

Say 谢谢 (xièxie), or 谢谢你 (xièxie nǐ) / 谢谢您 (xièxie nín) to be warmer or more polite.

How do you say thank you very much?

Use 非常感谢 (fēicháng gǎnxiè) or 太感谢了 (tài gǎnxiè le). 多谢 (duōxiè) is a casual "many thanks."

How do you reply to thank you?

Say 不客气 (bú kèqi) or 不用谢 (búyòng xiè), both "you're welcome"; 没事 (méishì) is casual.

What's the difference between 谢谢 and 感谢?

谢谢 is everyday thanks; 感谢 is more formal and heartfelt, common in writing and speeches.