Excuse Me in Chinese: Passing By vs Asking a Question
Hear 借过, 不好意思 and 请问 in Mandarin. Learn phrases for passing someone or asking a question, with pronunciation, recordings and a conversation to practise.
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Listen to a phrase, then try saying it aloud. The full conversation is below.
借过
Excuse me (let me pass)
jiè guò不好意思
Excuse me / Sorry
bù hǎo yì si请问
Excuse me, may I ask...
qǐng wèn
In Mandarin Chinese, the English phrase 'excuse me' splits into several expressions depending on what you are actually doing. If you are squeezing through a crowd, say 借过 (jiè guò). If you need to get someone's attention or interrupt briefly, 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si) is a common choice. When you are about to ask a question, 请问 (qǐng wèn) signals politeness. This lesson gives you the direct answers first, then shows you how to use each phrase naturally in public situations.
By the end, you can…
- use 借过 to pass through a crowd politely.
- use 不好意思 and 请问 to get attention or ask a question.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
借过
Excuse me (let me pass)
jiè guò
Use when physically moving through a crowd or tight space. It literally means 'borrow a passage.' It is not an apology; it is a request to pass.
不好意思
Excuse me / Sorry
bù hǎo yì si
A flexible polite attention-getter. Use to interrupt, to gently apologize, or to soften a request. It is milder than 对不起 (duì bù qǐ).
请问
Excuse me, may I ask...
qǐng wèn
Use before asking a question, especially to staff or strangers. It literally means 'please ask.' It is not used to pass by someone.
劳驾
Excuse me (may I trouble you)
láo jià
A slightly more formal or old-fashioned polite request. Common in northern China, especially Beijing. Use when asking someone to move or do a small favor.
对不起
Sorry / I apologize
duì bù qǐ
Used for an apology, often stronger than 不好意思. It can also function as excuse me, but 不好意思 is a useful default for a minor interruption and 借过 is more specific when passing.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern for getting attention politely is 不好意思，[question]. For example: 不好意思，请问洗手间在哪里？(Bù hǎo yì si, qǐng wèn xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ?) — Excuse me, may I ask where the restroom is? When you need to pass, use 借过 alone or 借过一下 (jiè guò yí xià) to soften it. For example: 借过一下，谢谢。(Jiè guò yí xià, xiè xie.) — Excuse me, let me pass, thanks. To ask a question directly, start with 请问: 请问，这个座位有人吗？(Qǐng wèn, zhè ge zuò wèi yǒu rén ma?) — Excuse me, is this seat taken?
When to use it
Use 借过 only when you are physically moving past someone. Use 不好意思 when you interrupt someone's conversation, tap someone's shoulder, or need to excuse yourself briefly. Use 请问 before a question to a stranger or staff member. Use 劳驾 when you need a small favor, like asking someone to move a bag: 劳驾，请让一下。(Láo jià, qǐng ràng yí xià.) — Excuse me, please move a little. Usually prefer 不好意思 for attention or minor interruptions. 对不起 suits a real apology and can also serve as a stronger excuse me in some contexts.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
不好意思，请问这个座位有人吗？
Excuse me, is this seat taken?Bù hǎo yì si, qǐng wèn zhè ge zuò wèi yǒu rén ma?没有人，请坐。
No one, please sit.Méi yǒu rén, qǐng zuò.谢谢。不好意思，再请问一下，洗手间在哪里？
Thanks. Excuse me, one more question, where is the restroom?Xiè xie. Bù hǎo yì si, zài qǐng wèn yí xià, xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ?在前面左转。
Turn left ahead.Zài qián miàn zuǒ zhuǎn.A little context goes a long way
不好意思 is softer and more casual than 对不起. Many Mandarin speakers use 不好意思 for minor social disruptions, while 对不起 carries a stronger sense of remorse. In northern China, 劳驾 is still heard for polite requests, but 不好意思 is universally understood. When passing through a crowd, a simple 借过 is enough; adding 谢谢 makes it warmer.
One thing to watch for
Using the same English-to-Chinese translation of excuse me for every situation.
Try this instead: Choose a phrase for the task: 借过 when passing, 请问 before a question, and 不好意思 for a minor interruption. 对不起 often expresses an apology, but it is not forbidden as an attention-getter. These are practical defaults rather than absolute rules.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are in a crowded subway and need to get off. What do you say to the people in front of you?
Show a sample answer
借过一下，谢谢。
借过 is the standard phrase for passing through a crowd. Adding 一下 softens it, and 谢谢 shows appreciation. 不好意思 could also work, but 借过 is more specific to physical movement.
2In the recorded dialogue, how does A ask whether the seat is taken, and what does B say in reply?
Show a sample answer
A: 不好意思，请问这个座位有人吗？ B: 没有人，请坐。
A asks about the seat; B says nobody is using it and invites A to sit. Play each recorded line, then repeat the exchange with these roles. The question comes from the person who wants the seat; the invitation comes from the person answering.
3After asking about the restroom, A hears 在前面左转。 What should A do? Answer in English, then repeat B’s recorded direction.
Show a sample answer
Turn left ahead. 在前面左转。
左转 means turn left. The reply tells A to turn left ahead; it does not say the restroom is on the right. B gives the direction, and A is the person asking for help.
Choose 借过 when passing, 不好意思 for a minor interruption, and 请问 before a question. Then practice a complete exchange: ask whether the seat is taken and understand the invitation to sit. Use the recorded restroom question to check that you can also understand the reply: turn left ahead.
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