Usage note
抱歉表示道歉或表示不好意思。
bào qiàn biǎo shì dào qiàn huò biǎo shì bù hǎo yì si。
Sorry means apologizing or expressing regret.
Context note
抱歉常出现在道歉、礼貌拒绝和解释里。
bào qiàn cháng chū xiàn zài dào qiàn 、 lǐ mào jù jué hé jiě shì lǐ。
Sorry often appears in apologies, polite refusals, and explanations.
5 examples
抱歉，我来晚了。
bào qiàn， wǒ lái wǎn le。
Sorry, I am late.
非常抱歉。
fēi cháng bào qiàn。
I am very sorry.
抱歉打扰你。
bào qiàn dǎ rǎo nǐ。
Sorry to bother you.
我很抱歉。
wǒ hěn bào qiàn。
I am sorry.
抱歉，这个我不会。
bào qiàn， zhè ge wǒ bú huì。
Sorry, I do not know this one.
5 mini stories
我迟到了，所以先说了抱歉。
wǒ chí dào le， suǒ yǐ xiān shuō le bào qiàn。
I was late, so I said sorry first.
不小心打翻了水，我马上说抱歉。
bù xiǎo xīn dǎ fān le shuǐ， wǒ mǎ shàng shuō bào qiàn。
I accidentally spilled the water and immediately said sorry.
老师说说话前先想一想，才不会总是抱歉。
lǎo shī shuō shuō huà qián xiān xiǎng yi xiǎng， cái bú huì zǒng shì bào qiàn。
The teacher said to think before speaking so you do not always need to say sorry.
抱歉打扰你一下，我想问个问题。
bào qiàn dǎ rǎo nǐ yí xià， wǒ xiǎng wèn gè wèn tí。
Sorry to bother you, I want to ask a question.
他很有礼貌，常常会说抱歉。
tā hěn yǒu lǐ mào， cháng cháng huì shuō bào qiàn。
He is very polite and often says sorry.
Mini dialogue
不小心碰到
A
哎呀，真抱歉，碰到你了。
Āiyā, zhēn bàoqiàn, pèng dào nǐ le.
Oops, I'm really sorry, I bumped into you.
B
没关系。
Méi guānxi.
It's okay.
忘记带书
A
抱歉，我忘记带你的书了。
Bàoqiàn, wǒ wàngjì dài nǐ de shū le.
Sorry, I forgot to bring your book.
B
没关系，明天带也可以。
Méi guānxi, míngtiān dài yě kěyǐ.
No problem, you can bring it tomorrow.
Related words and contrasts
similar
对不起
duì bu qǐ
sorry; excuse me
抱歉 is slightly more formal; both are common apologies.
related
原谅
yuán liàng
to forgive
Used when asking for forgiveness, e.g., 请原谅我 (please forgive me).