不客气
bú kèqi
you are welcome
不客气 is a common reply to 谢谢. It helps beginners complete polite exchanges in Mandarin.
Example sentences
谢谢你！不客气。
Xièxie nǐ! Bú kèqi.
Thank you! You are welcome.
不用谢，不客气。
Bú yòng xiè, bú kèqi.
No need to thank me, you are welcome.
How to use 不客气 in practice
不客气 is a greetings item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin bú kèqi, then connect it to the meaning “you are welcome” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 谢谢你！不客气。 / 不用谢，不客气。.
When you practice 不客气, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 不客气 only as “you are welcome” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Chinese speaking practice, start a short conversation, and use 不客气 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 不客气 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only bú kèqi, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
What is a casual alternative to 不客气?
没事 and 不用谢 are common casual alternatives.
How can I remember 不客气 faster?
Say 不客气 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 不客气 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 不客气 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach