Sorry in Chinese: 对不起 & 不好意思

The right phrase depends on what happened. A serious mistake, a minor inconvenience and a request to get someone’s attention are different social situations. Using the strongest apology for a small thing can sound unnecessarily formal, while using a light phrase after a real mistake can sound careless.

对不起: a sincere apology

对不起 (duìbuqǐ) is the familiar apology used when someone has made a mistake, caused harm or needs to take responsibility. It is direct and widely understood. In many contexts, 不 is lightly pronounced, so the phrase sounds close to duìbuqǐ rather than three equally stressed syllables.

不好意思: mild apology or excuse me

不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) can mean “sorry,” “excuse me,” “how embarrassing” or “I feel awkward about this.” It is common for small inconveniences, interrupting someone, asking a favour or gently correcting a situation. It can sound softer and more everyday than 对不起.

抱歉 and 打扰一下

抱歉 (bàoqiàn) means to be sorry or to regret something and can sound more formal or written. 打扰一下 (dǎrǎo yīxià) means “excuse me for a moment” and is useful before interrupting or asking a question. 请原谅 (qǐng yuánliàng) is a stronger request for forgiveness and is usually reserved for a more serious context.

How to respond

没关系 (méi guānxi) means “it doesn’t matter” or “no problem.” 没事 (méi shì) is a casual way to say “it’s fine” or “nothing serious.” The response still depends on the relationship and the seriousness of the situation; a real apology may need action or repair, not only a phrase.

Pronunciation and written form

对不起 uses 对 (duì), 不 (bù, often unstressed here) and 起 (qǐ). 不好意思 combines 不, 好, 意 and 思. These expressions are not interchangeable in polite writing even when an English translation uses “sorry” for both. The traditional form of 对不起 is 對不起; 不好意思 remains 不好意思.

Design notes

对不起 is a compact three-character phrase. 不好意思 is four characters and needs enough room for the internal strokes of 意 and 思. Keep the order intact and avoid a highly cursive style that makes the phrase difficult to verify. For a card or public artwork, the wording should match the seriousness of the message.

What an apology phrase does not do

A phrase can acknowledge responsibility, but it does not automatically repair harm, replace an explanation or guarantee forgiveness. The surrounding tone, action and willingness to make things right still matter.