There are many ways to say “sorry” in Mandarin Chinese, but one of the most common and versatile phrases is ?duì bu qi. This consists of three Chinese characters: ???. The first, ? (duì), means “for” or “to.” The second character, ? (bù), is a negative particle. The third character, ? (qi), means “to rise.”

The literal translation of duì bu qi, then, is “don’t get up,” which could perhaps be interpreted as “stay calm.”

Examples of Dui Bu Qi

?Duì bu qi, wo gai zou le.
???, ????｡
???, ????｡
Sorry, I have to go now.

?Rú guo wo shuo duì bu qi, ni shì fou jiù huì yuán liàng wo?
???????, ?????????
???????, ?????????
If I say I’m sorry, will you be able to forgive me?