Chinese for Clarifying: Say "I Didn't Catch That" and "What Do You Mean?"
Learn to ask for repetition and clarification in Mandarin with phrases like 没听清 and 什么意思. Practice a short dialogue to resolve confusion politely.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
When you don't understand something in a Chinese conversation, you need simple, polite ways to ask for repetition or explanation. In this lesson, you'll learn key phrases such as 没听清 (méi tīng qīng, "I didn't catch that") and 什么意思 (shénme yìsi, "what do you mean?"). You'll also practice a short dialogue and learn how to use these phrases appropriately. By the end, you'll be able to handle misunderstandings without switching to English.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone to repeat what they said using 没听清 and 再说一遍.
- ask what something means using 什么意思 and 你是说...吗.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
没听清。
I didn't catch that.
méi tīng qīng
Use when you didn't hear clearly. It's neutral and polite. The full form is 我没听清 (wǒ méi tīng qīng).
请再说一遍。
Please say it again.
qǐng zài shuō yí biàn
A polite request for repetition. 再 means 'again', 说 means 'speak', 一遍 means 'one time'.
什么意思？
What does it mean? / What do you mean?
shénme yìsi
Use when you heard the words but don't understand the meaning. It can sound abrupt if said with a sharp tone; soften with 请问 (qǐngwèn, 'may I ask') if needed. Note that 什么 (shénme) is pronounced with a second tone on 什 and a neutral tone on 么.
你是说...吗？
Are you saying that...?
nǐ shì shuō... ma
Use to confirm your understanding by repeating what you think you heard. Fill in the blank with your guess.
我不太明白。
I don't quite understand.
wǒ bú tài míngbai
A softer way to say you don't understand. 不太 means 'not quite', 明白 means 'understand'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask for repetition, use 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn). For example, if someone says 我们三点见面 (wǒmen sān diǎn jiànmiàn, 'Let's meet at 3'), and you didn't hear, say 请再说一遍. To check meaning, use 什么意思 (shénme yìsi) after a word or phrase: 这个字什么意思？(zhège zì shénme yìsi?, 'What does this character mean?'). To confirm a guess, use 你是说...吗？(nǐ shì shuō... ma?): 你是说三点吗？(nǐ shì shuō sān diǎn ma?, 'Are you saying 3 o'clock?'). Note that 一遍 (yí biàn) is pronounced with a second tone on 一 because it is followed by a fourth-tone syllable.
When to use it
Use 没听清 when background noise or a soft voice caused the problem. Use 什么意思 when you heard the words but the meaning is unclear. Use 你是说...吗？ when you think you understood but want to be sure. For example, if someone says 我姓王 (wǒ xìng Wáng, 'My surname is Wang'), and you think it's 黄 (Huáng), ask 你是说王吗？(nǐ shì shuō Wáng ma?, 'Are you saying Wang?'). Avoid saying 什么？(shénme?) alone, as it can sound rude; add 意思 or use a full phrase.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
我们明天八点在学校门口见面。
Let's meet at the school gate tomorrow at 8.wǒmen míngtiān bā diǎn zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiànmiàn没听清。请再说一遍。
I didn't catch that. Please say it again.méi tīng qīng. qǐng zài shuō yí biàn明天八点，学校门口。
Tomorrow at 8, at the school gate.míngtiān bā diǎn, xuéxiào ménkǒu你是说早上八点吗？
Are you saying 8 in the morning?nǐ shì shuō zǎoshang bā diǎn maA little context goes a long way
In Chinese, directly saying 什么？(shénme?) can sound abrupt. Adding 请 (qǐng, 'please') or using 没听清 softens the request. Also, 什么意思 can be neutral, but tone matters; a rising tone is fine, but a sharp falling tone may sound confrontational. When speaking with strangers or elders, use 请问 (qǐngwèn) to preface your question.
One thing to watch for
Saying 什么？ alone to ask for repetition.
Try this instead: Use 没听清 or 请再说一遍 instead. For example, say 没听清，请再说一遍 (méi tīng qīng, qǐng zài shuō yí biàn) rather than just 什么？
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I didn't catch that' in Chinese?
Show a sample answer
没听清。
This is the standard phrase for not hearing clearly. You could also say 我没听清 (wǒ méi tīng qīng) with the subject.
2What phrase do you use to ask 'What do you mean?' after someone says something confusing?
Show a sample answer
什么意思？
This asks for meaning. If you want to be more polite, say 请问，什么意思？(qǐngwèn, shénme yìsi?)
3If you think you heard '3 o'clock' but want to confirm, what do you say?
Show a sample answer
你是说三点吗？
This pattern confirms your guess. Replace 三点 with the word or phrase you're checking.
Use 没听清 for hearing problems and 什么意思 for meaning problems. Add 请 or 请问 to stay polite.
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