How do you say thank you in Chinese?

Pronunciation

The first 谢 is a full fourth tone (a sharp falling tone); the second is said lightly in the neutral tone. So it is “xiè-xie”, with the stress on the first syllable, not two equal “xiè-xiè”.

How to use it

• •Say 谢谢 (xièxie) on its own, or 谢谢你 (xièxie nǐ) “thank you” to one person, or 谢谢大家 (xièxie dàjiā) “thank you everyone”.
• •For deeper or more formal gratitude, use 感谢 (gǎnxiè) or 非常感谢 (fēicháng gǎnxiè), “thank you very much”.
• •To reply, the most common answer is 不客气 (bú kèqi), “you’re welcome” (literally “don’t be polite”). 不用谢 (bú yòng xiè), “no need to thank me”, also works.

Common mistakes

• ▸Saying two equal heavy tones “xiè xiè”. The second syllable is light and neutral.
• ▸Replying to 谢谢 with 谢谢. The reply is 不客气, not another thank-you.
• ▸Confusing 不客气 (bú kèqi, you’re welcome) with 没关系 (méi guānxi, “it’s OK / never mind”), which answers an apology, not a thank-you.

Cultural context

Among very close friends and family, constant thank-yous can actually feel distancing — as if you are treating someone like a stranger by being so formal. A parent doing something for a child, or one close friend for another, often will not be thanked out loud at all; the closeness is assumed. This does not mean gratitude is unwelcome, only that 谢谢 carries a slight note of politeness-toward-an-outsider that is worth being aware of.