抱歉

Chinese

Chinese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

		to hold; to carry (in one's arms); to hug or embrace to hold; to carry (in one's arms); to hug or embrace; surround; cherish	apologize; deficient; to regret
simp. and trad. (抱歉)		抱	歉

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bàoqiàn

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄠˋ ㄑㄧㄢˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): pou⁵ hip³

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): phō-khiám / phǒ-khiám / phāu-khiám / phǎu-khiám / phō-khiàm / phō-khiam / phō-khiām

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bàoqiàn
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄠˋ ㄑㄧㄢˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bàociàn
    • Wade–Giles: pao⁴-chʻien⁴
    • Yale: bàu-chyàn
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bawchiann
    • Palladius: баоцянь (baocjanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: pou⁵ hip³
    • Yale: póuh hip
    • Cantonese Pinyin: pou⁵ hip⁸
    • Guangdong Romanization: pou⁵ hib³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰou̯¹³ hiːp̚³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phō-khiám
    • Tâi-lô: phō-khiám
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phoixqiarm
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰɤ³³⁻²¹ kʰiam⁴¹/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰo³³⁻¹¹ kʰiam⁵³/
    • IPA (Xiamen): /pʰo²²⁻²¹ kʰiam⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phǒ-khiám
    • Tâi-lô: phǒ-khiám
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰo²² kʰiam⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phāu-khiám
    • Tâi-lô: phāu-khiám
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phauxqiarm
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /pʰau²²⁻²¹ kʰiam⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phǎu-khiám
    • Tâi-lô: phǎu-khiám
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /pʰau²² kʰiam⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phō-khiàm
    • Tâi-lô: phō-khiàm
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phoixqiaxm
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰo³³⁻¹¹ kʰiam¹¹/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰɤ³³⁻²¹ kʰiam²¹/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phō-khiam
    • Tâi-lô: phō-khiam
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phoixqiafm
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰɤ³³⁻²¹ kʰiam⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰo³³⁻¹¹ kʰiam⁴⁴/
  • (Hokkien: variant in Taiwan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: phō-khiām
    • Tâi-lô: phō-khiām
    • Phofsit Daibuun: phoixqiam
    • IPA (Taipei): /pʰo³³⁻¹¹ kʰiam³³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /pʰɤ³³⁻²¹ kʰiam³³/

Verb

抱歉

1. to be sorry; to feel apologetic

   很抱歉，您要辦的事不符合規定，我們不能辦理。 [MSC, trad.]
   很抱歉，您要办的事不符合规定，我们不能办理。 [MSC, simp.]

   Hěn bàoqiàn, nín yào bàn de shì bù fúhé guīdìng, wǒmen bù néng bànlǐ. [Pinyin]

   I'm sorry, we cannot process your request as it does not meet the requirements.

   很抱歉，沒有辦法了。 [MSC, trad.]
   很抱歉，没有办法了。 [MSC, simp.]

   Hěn bàoqiàn, méiyǒu bànfǎ le. [Pinyin]

   I'm sorry it can't be helped.

   抱歉這麼晚才回復。 [MSC, trad.]
   抱歉这么晚才回复。 [MSC, simp.]

   Bàoqiàn zhème wǎn cái huífù. [Pinyin]

   Sorry for replying so late.

Usage notes

• This term is used for situations where one wants to express regret about something without necessarily casting blaming upon oneself or seeking forgiveness from the aggrieved party. Use 道歉 (dàoqiàn) for situations where the one would like to seek forgiveness.

Synonyms

• (formal) 負疚／负疚 (fùjiù)
• 過不去／过不去 (guòbùqù)

Interjection

抱歉

1. sorry

Synonyms

• 對不起／对不起 (duìbùqǐ)