How to say you're welcome in Chinese: 不客氣 (bú kèqì)

You're welcome in Chinese is 不客氣, written bù kèqì in pinyin and ㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˋ ㄑㄧˋ in 注音. All three syllables are written as fourth tones, but 不 before another fourth tone rises instead, so you say bú kè qì: a rise, then two falls.

不客氣bù kè qìㄅㄨˋ ㄎㄜˋ ㄑㄧˋyou're welcomesaid bú kè qì

Standard and spoken

Our native speaker recorded 不客氣 twice: standard, slow and clear like a textbook, and spoken, at normal speed. Both lines are drawn on the same time scale.

Standardslow and clear

1.65 s

Spokennormal speed

0.71 s

不 changes before a fourth tone: it rises instead of falling. So 不客氣 is said bú kè qì.

In the standard recording, 不 rises from the middle of her voice, 客 falls from the top to the middle, and 氣 rises a little and falls again.

The spoken recording takes about 0.7 seconds. The whole word stays in the upper middle of her voice, with small bumps instead of three big falls.

Syllable by syllable

不bù → búWritten as a fourth tone, said as a second tone because a fourth tone follows. Short and rising.
客kèFourth tone: fall from high. k with a puff of air, e like the u in fun said further back.
氣qìFourth tone: fall. q like ch in cheese, i as in see.

Common mistakes

Saying bù with a fall before 客.Before a fourth tone, 不 rises: bú kè qì.
Giving all three syllables the same big fall.Keep it light and quick, mostly in the upper part of your voice.
Using 不客氣 to answer an apology.Answer sorry with 沒關係 or 沒事.

Common phrases and replies

不會bú huìnot at allThe everyday reply to thanks in Taiwan.
不用謝bú yòng xièno need to thank meFriendly and common everywhere.
沒事méi shìit's nothingCasual, between friends.
別客氣bié kè qìdon't be so politeAlso used when offering food or help.

Taiwan and mainland

In Taiwan, 不會 (bú huì) is often the first answer to 謝謝, and 不客氣 sounds a little more formal. Both are fine. 不 is said bú in both, because 會 and 客 are fourth tones.

Practise it out loud

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Questions

Why is 不 said bú here?

不 becomes a rising tone before any fourth tone: 不客氣, 不會, 不要, 不錯. Before first, second and third tones it stays bù. Pinyin usually keeps the written bù, so you have to know the rule.

Does 不客氣 literally mean don't be polite?

Yes: 不 is not and 客氣 is polite or formal. The idea is that thanks are not needed between you.

Can I use 不客氣 when someone apologises?

No. For an apology, say 沒關係 (méi guān xi, it's okay) or 沒事 (méi shì). 不客氣 answers thanks.