[ Linguistic Bits 15 ] Sorry / Excuse Me 不好意思 | Learn Chinese with Yoyo Mo

今天我们讲讲非常常用的“不好意思”。jīn tiān | wǒ men | jiǎng jiang | fēi cháng | cháng yòng | de | “bù hǎo yì si”Today we’re going to talk about the very commonly used phrase “bù hǎo yì si”.以前我的英国朋友问我：yǐ qián | wǒ | de | yīng guó | péng you | wèn | wǒOnce my British friend asked me:“不好意思”和“对不起”有什么区别？“bù hǎo yì si” | hé | “duì bu qǐ” | yǒu | shén me | qū biéWhat’s the difference between “bù hǎo yì si” and “duì bu qǐ”?她这么一问，我才发现这两个词确实很类似。tā | zhè me | yī wèn | wǒ | cái | fā xiàn | zhè | liǎng | gè | cí | què shí | hěn | lèi sìHer question made me realize that these two phrases are indeed very similar.我告诉她，“不好意思”的程度比“对不起”低，wǒ | gào su | tā | “bù hǎo yì si” | de | chéng dù | bǐ | “duì bu qǐ” | dīI told her that “bù hǎo yì si” is less intense than “duì bu qǐ”,是一种轻微的“对不起”。shì | yī | zhǒng | qīng wēi | de | “duì bu qǐ”it’s a mild form of “duì bu qǐ”.让我们来看例句吧。ràng | wǒ men | lái | kàn | lì jù | baLet’s take a look at some examples.在别人说话时，想插几句话，可以说：zài | bié rén | shuō huà | shí | xiǎng | chā | jǐ | jù | huà | kě yǐ | shuōWhen someone is talking and you want to chip in, you can say:“不好意思，我打断一下。”“bù hǎo yì si | wǒ | dǎ duàn | yī xià”“Excuse me, may I interrupt for a moment?”如果用“对不起”，也是可以的。rú guǒ | yòng | “duì bu qǐ” | yě | shì | kě yǐ | deUsing “duì bu qǐ” here is also acceptable.如果别人挡住你的路了，可以说：rú guǒ | bié rén | dǎng zhù | nǐ | de | lù | le | kě yǐ | shuōIf someone is blocking your way, you can say:“不好意思，借过一下。”“bù hǎo yì si | jiè guò | yī xià”“Excuse me, could I get by.”“不好意思，麻烦让一下。”“bù hǎo yì si | má fan | ràng | yī xià”“Excuse me, can I get pass please?”这里用“对不起”就不合适了。zhè lǐ | yòng | “duì bu qǐ” | jiù | bù | hé shì | leUsing “duì bu qǐ” here would be inappropriate.如果想找个路人问路，可以说：rú guǒ | xiǎng | zhǎo | gè | lù rén | wèn | lù | kě yǐ | shuōIf you want to ask a stranger for directions, you can say:“不好意思，请问地铁站怎么走？”“bù hǎo yì si | qǐng wèn | dì tiě | zhàn | zěn me | zǒu”“Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the subway station?”这里也不适合换成“对不起”。zhè lǐ | yě | bù | shì hé | huàn | chéng | “duì bu qǐ”Replacing it with “duì bu qǐ” here is also unsuitable.如果要拒绝别人的邀请，可以说：rú guǒ | yào | jù jué | bié rén | de | yāo qǐng | kě yǐ | shuōIf you need to decline someone’s invitation, you can say:“不好意思，我今晚来不了了。”“bù hǎo yì si | wǒ | jīn wǎn | lái | bu | liǎo | le”“I’m sorry, I can’t make it tonight.”这里也可以换成“对不起”。zhè lǐ | yě | kě yǐ | huàn | chéng