How to Say "please" in Chinese

Quick Answer

“Please” in Chinese is 请 (qǐng) — but it works differently from English.

How to Pronounce 请

请 is a 3rd tone character: start at mid pitch, dip down, then rise back up. Think of a gentle “cheeng” that curves up at the end.

How 请 Works in Chinese

In English, “please” tags onto the end of a request: “Can I have water, please?”

In Chinese, 请 goes at the beginning of the sentence, functioning more like “Please [do X]” or “Would you [do X]”:

请 给我一杯水。— Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ. — Please give me a glass of water. 请 坐。— Qǐng zuò. — Please sit / Have a seat. 请 进。— Qǐng jìn. — Please come in. 请 稍等。— Qǐng shāo děng. — Please wait a moment.

The Softer “Please”: 麻烦你

When making a bigger request — something that puts someone out — use 麻烦你 (má fan nǐ) — literally “trouble you.” It’s more humble and shows you know you’re asking for something:

麻烦你帮我拍一张照片。— Má fan nǐ bāng wǒ pāi yī zhāng zhào piàn. — Could you trouble yourself to take a photo of me?

This phrase is especially useful when asking strangers for favors.

Common 请 Phrases

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
请问	qǐng wèn	Excuse me, may I ask…
请坐	qǐng zuò	Please sit down
请进	qǐng jìn	Please come in
请用	qǐng yòng	Please help yourself (food/drink)
请等一下	qǐng děng yī xià	Please wait a moment
请出示证件	qǐng chū shì zhèng jiàn	Please show your ID

请问: The Door-Opener

请问 (qǐng wèn) — literally “please ask” — is the standard polite opener for any question to a stranger. Use it every time you need to ask someone something you don’t know:

请问，最近的地铁站在哪里？— Qǐng wèn, zuì jìn de dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ lǐ? — Excuse me, where is the nearest metro station?

Cultural Context

Chinese politeness operates through context and tone more than magic words. You don’t need to say 请 on every request — in many natural interactions, the tone of voice and social context conveys politeness just as well.

However, adding 请 at the start of a request always makes it sound more considerate and educated. It’s especially valued in service contexts and when speaking to people you don’t know well.

Examples in Sentences

1. 请给我菜单。 — Qǐng gěi wǒ cài dān. — “Please give me the menu.”
2. 请问，洗手间在哪里？ — Qǐng wèn, xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ? — “Excuse me, where is the bathroom?”
3. 麻烦你了，谢谢。 — Má fan nǐ le, xiè xie. — “Sorry to trouble you, thank you.”

Practice

Use 请 in these three requests:

1. Ask someone to wait.
2. Invite someone to sit down.
3. Ask where the bathroom is.

Answers: 1) 请等一下。2) 请坐。3) 请问，洗手间在哪里？