Thank someone for help or kindness.
谢谢你今天帮我。Xièxie nǐ jīntiān bāng wǒ.Thank you for helping me today.
Everyday Chinese
Common Chinese Phrases for Everyday Conversation
Everyday Mandarin for thanking people, encouraging them, acknowledging effort, and seeing them off.
Start with expressions that fit everyday social moments: thanking someone, replying to thanks, encouraging a friend, acknowledging effort, seeing a guest off, and responding to a compliment. Each phrase has a distinct job in conversation.
Which phrase fits?
- Say 谢谢 to thank someone; reply to thanks with 不客气.
- Use 加油 before or during a challenge; 辛苦了 recognizes effort after someone has worked hard.
- 慢走 is a courteous farewell to a departing guest. 哪里哪里 is a modest reply to praise, though 谢谢 sounds more natural in many modern conversations.
Phrases in conversation
Reply when someone thanks you.
谢谢你！— 不客气。Xièxie nǐ! — Bù kèqi.Thank you! — You're welcome.
Encourage someone facing a challenge.
明天考试，加油！Míngtiān kǎoshì, jiāyóu!You have an exam tomorrow—good luck!
Acknowledge effort, often after a task or long day.
你忙了一整天，辛苦了。Nǐ máng le yì zhěng tiān, xīnkǔ le.You've been busy all day. Thanks for your hard work.
See off a guest or customer politely.
慢走，欢迎下次再来。Màn zǒu, huānyíng xià cì zài lái.Take care, and come again.
Respond modestly to a compliment; it can sound traditional.
你中文说得真好！— 哪里哪里。Nǐ Zhōngwén shuō de zhēn hǎo! — Nǎli nǎli.Your Chinese is so good! — Oh, not at all.
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