How to Leave the Table Politely in Mandarin Chinese
Learn beginner Mandarin phrases for politely excusing yourself during a meal or thanking your host at the end, with pinyin, tone marks and usage notes.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Chinese meals, leaving the table is often handled with a short, polite formula. This lesson teaches five practical Mandarin phrases: how to ask to be excused for a moment, how to say you are full, how to thank the host for the meal, and how to say goodbye at the end. You will learn simplified Chinese characters, pinyin with tone marks, and when each phrase fits. The focus is only on temporary or end-of-meal departures, not on other kinds of goodbyes.
By the end, you can…
- politely ask to leave the table for a moment in Mandarin.
- thank a host or cook at the end of a meal in Mandarin.
- say I am full and use a polite closing phrase before leaving.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
不好意思，我先失陪一下。
Excuse me, I will step away for a moment.
bù hǎo yì si, wǒ xiān shī péi yí xià
A polite, slightly formal way to excuse yourself during a meal. Use it when you need to leave briefly, for example to use the bathroom or take a call.
我去一下洗手间。
I am going to the restroom for a moment.
wǒ qù yí xià xǐ shǒu jiān
A common and direct reason for a short absence. The phrase yí xià softens it to mean 'just for a moment.'
我吃饱了，谢谢。
I am full, thank you.
wǒ chī bǎo le, xiè xie
Said when you have finished eating. It signals that you do not need more food, and the thank-you keeps it warm.
谢谢你的招待。
Thank you for your hospitality.
xiè xie nǐ de zhāo dài
A warm thank-you to a host or host family at the end of a meal. Use nǐ de for one host; for more than one host, say xiè xie nǐ men de zhāo dài.
我先走了，再见。
I will head off now, goodbye.
wǒ xiān zǒu le, zài jiàn
A natural end-of-meal leave-taking. Say it after thanking the host, when you are actually leaving the table or the home.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 我先 + verb + 一下 to soften a departure. 我先失陪一下 (wǒ xiān shī péi yí xià) means 'I will step away for a moment.' 我去一下洗手间 (wǒ qù yí xià xǐ shǒu jiān) means 'I am going to the restroom for a moment.' The word 一下 (yí xià) makes the action sound brief and less abrupt. At the end of a meal, 我先走了 (wǒ xiān zǒu le) means 'I will head off now.' These patterns are polite because they announce your intention instead of simply disappearing.
When to use it
Use 不好意思，我先失陪一下 when you leave the table briefly but will return. Use 我去一下洗手间 when the reason is the restroom. Use 我吃饱了，谢谢 when you stop eating; it tells the host you are satisfied. Use 谢谢你的招待 when the meal is over and you want to thank the host. Use 我先走了，再见 only when you are truly leaving. If you are only stepping away for a moment, do not say 我先走了, because it sounds like a final goodbye.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
不好意思，我先失陪一下。
Excuse me, I will step away for a moment.bù hǎo yì si, wǒ xiān shī péi yí xià好的，请便。
Okay, go ahead.hǎo de, qǐng biàn我吃饱了，谢谢你的招待。
I am full, thank you for your hospitality.wǒ chī bǎo le, xiè xie nǐ de zhāo dài不客气，慢走。
You are welcome, take care.bú kè qi, màn zǒuA little context goes a long way
In many Chinese meals, hosts may urge you to eat more, so saying 我吃饱了，谢谢 is a clear but polite signal that you are done. 谢谢你的招待 is warmer and more formal than a simple 谢谢, and it fits when someone has cooked or hosted. 慢走 (màn zǒu), literally 'walk slowly,' is a friendly farewell from the host, not a comment on your speed.
One thing to watch for
Saying 我先走了，再见 when you are only leaving the table for a moment.
Try this instead: Use 不好意思，我先失陪一下 (bù hǎo yì si, wǒ xiān shī péi yí xià) or 我去一下洗手间 (wǒ qù yí xià xǐ shǒu jiān) for a short absence. Save 我先走了，再见 for when you are actually leaving the meal or the home.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You need to step away from the table for a moment. What polite Mandarin phrase can you say?
Show a sample answer
不好意思，我先失陪一下。
This phrase politely announces a brief absence. 我去一下洗手间 is also correct if you are going to the restroom.
2The meal is over and you want to thank the host. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
谢谢你的招待。
This thanks the host for the meal and hospitality. For multiple hosts, say 谢谢你们的招待.
3You are full and do not want more food. What polite phrase fits?
Show a sample answer
我吃饱了，谢谢。
This says you are full and adds thanks. It is softer than simply saying 不要了.
For a short absence, say 不好意思，我先失陪一下. When you are full, say 我吃饱了，谢谢. At the end, thank the host with 谢谢你的招待, then say 我先走了，再见 only when you are truly leaving.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Chinese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr