What Does 麻烦你 (máfan nǐ) Mean in Chinese?
Traditional: 麻煩你Reviewed context lessonCommon
Could you please…? / Sorry to trouble you
Quick answer: What does 麻烦你 mean?
麻烦你 — A considerate way to ask for help or acknowledge the trouble someone has taken.
✓Could I trouble you to…?
✓Sorry to bother you.
✓Thanks for taking the trouble.
What Chinese people actually mean
Before a request, 麻烦你 softens the imposition. After someone has helped, 麻烦你了 thanks them for the effort; it need not mean a serious apology.
Chinese characters
Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.
麻máMeaning in this word: context-dependent烦fanMeaning in this word: context-dependent你nǐMeaning in this word: context-dependent
Real conversations
1 · A polite request
A: 麻烦你帮我看一下这个地址。
máfan nǐ bāng wǒ kàn yíxià zhège dìzhǐ.
A: Could you please check this address for me?
B: 好，给我看看。
hǎo, gěi wǒ kànkan.
B: Sure, let me see.
2 · Acknowledging help
A: 我把文件发你了。
wǒ bǎ wénjiàn fā nǐ le.
A: I’ve sent you the file.
B: 收到了，麻烦你了。
shōudào le, máfan nǐ le.
B: Got it. Thanks for the trouble.
How to pronounce 麻烦你
麻烦你
Tap to hear Mandarin.
When to use it
✓Useful before asking someone for a small favor.
✓Adding 了 after help shifts it toward thanks.
✓It is not necessarily an admission that you have caused harm.
Sources and editorial note
Base entry: Real Chinese launch seed.Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.