歉意

• Pinyin: qiàn yì
• Hanzi breakdown: 歉 = 禾 + 兼 (a crop that falls short of expectations — hence regret); 意 = 音 + 心 (sound from the heart — feeling/intention)

Meaning

A feeling of apology or remorse; the sentiment of regret for having caused inconvenience, offence, or harm.

More formal and literary than the verbal form 道歉 (to apologise). Used in formal speeches, written statements, and polite correspondence. Commonly collocates with 表示 (to express), 深感 (to feel deeply), and 致以 (to extend).

Examples

1. 他在信的末尾再次表达了对给对方造成不便的深深歉意。 At the end of the letter, he again expressed his deep apology for the inconvenience he had caused.
2. 演讲嘉宾因临时有急事不能出席，向组委会致以诚挚的歉意。 Because an urgent matter came up at the last minute and the speaker couldn’t attend, they offered the organizing committee a sincere apology.
3. 她虽然表达了歉意，但语气中缺乏真诚，让对方感到难以接受。 She did apologize, but her tone lacked sincerity, making it hard for the other person to accept.

Usage Guide

Context: business, diplomacy, social

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 公司就此次产品质量事故向广大消费者表示深切歉意，并承诺将尽快启动召回程序，全力保障消费者权益。(The company expressed its deepest apologies to all consumers for the product quality incident and pledged to initiate a recall procedure as soon as possible to fully safeguard consumer rights.)
• 外交部发言人就两国误会事件向对方致以正式歉意，并表示愿意通过外交渠道妥善处理后续事宜。(The Foreign Ministry spokesperson extended formal apologies to the other party regarding the misunderstanding between the two countries, expressing willingness to handle subsequent matters through diplomatic channels.)

Don't Say

• 我很歉意你生气了 — 歉意 is a noun, not a predicate adjective; say 我对给你造成的不便深感歉意 (I feel deeply apologetic for the inconvenience caused to you) instead

Origin & History

歉 (regret/apology) + 意 (feeling/intention)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal