Someone says 谢谢 (xièxie) to you in Chinese. What should you say back?
If you learned Mandarin from a textbook, you probably know 不客气 (bú kèqi). It is a useful phrase, but it is not your only option. Native speakers choose different responses depending on the situation, the size of the favor, and how casual the conversation is.
Here are seven useful ways to respond to “thank you” in Mandarin Chinese.
1. 不客气 (Bú Kèqi) — You’re Welcome
不客气 is one of the standard ways to say “you’re welcome.”
Literally, 客气 (kèqi) refers to being polite or formal with someone, so the phrase has the sense of “there’s no need to be so polite.”
You can use it with friends, coworkers, customers, or people you have just met.
谢谢你的帮助。
Xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù.
Thanks for your help.
不客气。
Bú kèqi.
You’re welcome.
If you want one safe expression to learn first, this is a good choice.
2. 不用谢 (Bú Yòng Xiè) — No Need to Thank Me
不用谢 literally means “no need to thank [me].”
It sounds natural after doing someone a favor and is similar to “don’t mention it” or “no need to thank me” in English.
For example:
谢谢你送我回家。
Xièxie nǐ sòng wǒ huí jiā.
Thanks for taking me home.
不用谢。
Bú yòng xiè.
No need to thank me.
It is common in both everyday and polite conversations.
3. 没事 (Méi Shì) — No Problem
For small favors, you may hear 没事.
Literally, it means something like “nothing’s wrong” or “it’s nothing.” In this context, it works much like the English “no problem.”
Imagine someone thanks you for holding an elevator or helping pick something up:
谢谢！
Xièxie!
Thanks!
没事。
Méi shì.
No problem.
This is casual and especially useful in everyday conversation.
4. 没什么 (Méi Shénme) — It Was Nothing
没什么 means “it was nothing” or “nothing much.”
It is a good way to downplay a small favor.
太谢谢你了！
Tài xièxie nǐ le!
Thank you so much!
没什么。
Méi shénme.
It was nothing.
Compared with 不客气, this response can feel a little more conversational and modest.
5. 别客气 (Bié Kèqi) — Don’t Mention It
别客气 literally means “don’t be polite.”
That may sound strange in English, but the idea is closer to:
“Don’t mention it.”
“Make yourself at home.”
“There’s no need to be formal with me.”
It can be used as a response to thanks, especially when you want the other person to feel comfortable.
谢谢你请我吃饭。
Xièxie nǐ qǐng wǒ chīfàn.
Thanks for treating me to dinner.
别客气。
Bié kèqi.
Don’t mention it.
You may also hear this phrase when someone is welcoming a guest.
6. 小事 (Xiǎo Shì) — It’s a Small Thing
小事 literally means “a small matter.”
When someone thanks you for an easy favor, saying 小事 communicates that helping them was no trouble.
For example:
谢谢你帮我打印这个。
Xièxie nǐ bāng wǒ dǎyìn zhège.
Thanks for printing this for me.
小事。
Xiǎo shì.
No big deal.
A fuller expression is 小事一桩 (xiǎoshì yì zhuāng), meaning roughly “just a small matter.”
This response is informal and confident, so it is best suited to casual situations.
7. 应该的 (Yīnggāi De) — It’s What I Should Do
Sometimes you are thanked for something you feel was simply your responsibility. In that situation, 应该的 can be a natural reply.
It means approximately:
“It’s what I should do.”
“Of course.”
“Happy to do it.”
For example:
谢谢你照顾我妈妈。
Xièxie nǐ zhàogù wǒ māma.
Thank you for taking care of my mother.
应该的。
Yīnggāi de.
Of course. / It’s what I should do.
This expression is useful when the favor involves responsibility, duty, or a close relationship.
Which Expression Should You Use?
You do not need to memorize all seven at once.
For beginners, start with these three:
- 不客气 — a safe, general “you’re welcome”
- 不用谢 — “no need to thank me”
- 没事 — casual “no problem”
Once those feel natural, add expressions such as 没什么, 别客气, and 应该的.
Also remember that Chinese responses do not always match English phrases word for word. Instead of searching for one exact translation of “you’re welcome,” pay attention to what the speaker is doing: accepting the thanks, minimizing the favor, or making the other person feel comfortable.
What About Cantonese?
Mandarin and Cantonese are different varieties of Chinese, so the expressions and pronunciation are not always the same.
The phrases in this article are for Mandarin Chinese. If you are learning Cantonese, you will encounter different everyday responses to thanks.
Keeping the two separate from the beginning will make it easier to learn natural expressions and pronunciation.
Final Thoughts
You can get through many situations with 不客气, but real Mandarin conversation offers more choices.
For a small favor, 没事 may sound natural. If you want to say the favor was nothing, try 没什么. And when helping was simply the right thing to do, 应该的 may fit better.
Learning these small differences will help you move beyond direct translation and respond more naturally in everyday Chinese.
