Hanzi Sheets
How to write 对不起 — "I'm Sorry" in Chinese
对不起 (duì bù qǐ) is how you say "i'm sorry" in Chinese. The apology for bumps, mistakes and broken crayons. Below is each character with its pinyin and meaning, plus a free tracing worksheet you can print in seconds.
对不起 character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning in this phrase |
|---|---|---|
| 对 | duì | right; facing |
| 不 | bù | not; no |
| 起 | qǐ | to rise |
| 对不起 | duì bù qǐ | i'm sorry |
Using 对不起
对不起 is the everyday apology: 对 (facing; right), 不起 (cannot rise) — the image of being unable to face someone. Children use it for bumping into a friend, breaking a crayon, or forgetting to share. The standard reply is 没关系 — “it's okay”.
In Traditional Chinese it is 對不起; only 对 changes, to 對. For small everyday accidents many people also say 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si) — a softer “oops, sorry” — but 对不起 is the full, unmistakable apology every learner should own. In speech the middle syllable often lightens: “duì bu qǐ”.
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FAQ
How do you reply to 对不起?
没关系 (méi guān xì, “it's okay / no problem”) is the standard pair. For bigger matters people also say 没事 (“it's nothing”).
What is the difference between 对不起 and 不好意思?
对不起 is the full apology for real mistakes; 不好意思 is lighter — “excuse me / oops” — for tiny inconveniences like squeezing past someone.
How is 对不起 written in Traditional Chinese?
對不起 — only 对 changes, to 對. 不 and 起 are the same in both scripts.