Saying no politely in Chinese 委婉拒绝
wěiwǎn jùjué
No thanks in Chinese is 不用了 (bú yòng le).
Also searched for as: how to say no, refusing politely, declining, turn down, no thanks.
Turning people down without hurting feelings. 15 essential saying no politely words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Saying no politely in Chinese is an art, because a flat 不 (bù) can sound harsh. Instead, people use softer phrases like 不太方便 (bù tài fāng biàn), "it's not very convenient", 改天吧 (gǎi tiān ba), "let's do it another day", or 我再想想 (wǒ zài xiǎng xiang), "let me think about it", which often mean no. Thanking someone first with 谢谢你的好意 (xiè xie nǐ de hǎo yì) keeps things warm while you decline.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 拒绝 | jù jué | to refuse; to turn down |
| 不用了 | bù yòng le | no thanks |
| 不太方便 | bù tài fāng biàn | not very convenient |
| 改天吧 | gǎi tiān ba | let's do it another day |
| 下次吧 | xià cì ba | maybe next time |
| 恐怕 | kǒng pà | I'm afraid |
| 我再想想 | wǒ zài xiǎng xiang | let me think about it |
| 有点儿事 | yǒu diǎnr shì | to have something on |
| 好意 | hǎo yì | kind intentions; kind offer |
| 心领了 | xīn lǐng le | thanks for the thought (when declining) |
| 帮不上忙 | bāng bu shàng máng | to be unable to help |
| 再说吧 | zài shuō ba | we'll see |
| 算了 | suàn le | forget it; never mind |
| 推掉 | tuī diào | to turn down; to get out of |
| 不好意思开口 | bù hǎo yì si kāi kǒu | to feel awkward saying it |
Usage tips
- A vague reason is enough: 我有点儿事 (wǒ yǒu diǎnr shì), I've got something on, is a complete and polite excuse, and you don't need to say what it is.
- 我再想想 and 再说吧 (zài shuō ba), we'll see, are often gentle ways of saying no; if someone says them to you, it's kinder not to push.
- When offered food or a gift, it's common to decline once or twice before accepting, and hosts may insist; if you really mean no, 你的好意我心领了 (nǐ de hǎo yì wǒ xīn lǐng le), I appreciate the thought, makes it clear but gracious.
Common mistakes
- Refusing an offer with a bare 不要 (bù yào) can sound blunt → say 不用了，谢谢 (bù yòng le, xiè xie), no thanks.
- Saying 我拒绝 (wǒ jù jué) to turn down an invitation sounds like a formal refusal → use 恐怕不行 (kǒng pà bù xíng), I'm afraid I can't, or 改天吧.
- Using 算了 (suàn le) in reply to someone's offer can sound dismissive or annoyed → 不用了 is the neutral choice.
Mini dialogue
- A周六晚上一起吃饭吧？我请客。Zhōu liù wǎn shang yī qǐ chī fàn ba? Wǒ qǐng kè.Fancy dinner on Saturday evening? My treat.
- B谢谢你的好意，不过周六我有点儿事。Xiè xie nǐ de hǎo yì, bù guò zhōu liù wǒ yǒu diǎnr shì.Thanks for the kind offer, but I've got something on on Saturday.
- A那周日呢？Nà zhōu rì ne?What about Sunday?
- B周日恐怕也不太方便，改天吧。Zhōu rì kǒng pà yě bù tài fāng biàn, gǎi tiān ba.I'm afraid Sunday's not great either. Another time?
- A好吧，那下次再约。Hǎo ba, nà xià cì zài yuē.OK, let's arrange it next time then.
Example sentences
- 我不好意思拒绝他。I felt bad saying no to him.
- 不用了，我自己来。No thanks, I'll do it myself.
- 今天不太方便，改天吧。Today's not great, another time?
- 今天太累了，改天吧。I'm too tired today, let's do it another day.
- 这次就算了，下次吧。Let's skip it this time, maybe next time.
- 恐怕我去不了。I'm afraid I can't make it.
- 这件事我再想想。Let me think about it.
- 周六我有点儿事。I've got something on on Saturday.
- 谢谢你的好意。Thanks for the kind offer.
- 你的好意我心领了。I appreciate the thought, but I'll pass.
- 对不起，这个我帮不上忙。Sorry, I can't help with this.
- 这个以后再说吧。We'll see about that later.
- 算了，我不去了。Forget it, I'm not going.
- 我把那个饭局推掉了。I got out of that dinner.
- 我实在不好意思开口拒绝。I just can't bring myself to say no.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Saying no politely speaking island has 8 everyday questions about saying no politely to prepare your own answers to.