Meeting phrases · Chinese (Mandarin)
How to say “Can you repeat that?” in Chinese — and 20 other meeting phrases
Updated September 17, 2026
In a work call, say 不好意思，您能再说一遍吗？ (Bù hǎoyìsi, nín néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?). With a colleague on casual terms, 能再说一遍吗？ (Néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?) is enough. Below are 20 more phrases for the moments video calls go wrong — each with its level of politeness.
不好意思，您能再说一遍吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, nín néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?
Polite Uses 您. For clients, senior people and people you don’t know.
请再说一遍。
Qǐng zài shuō yī biàn.
Neutral Short and neutral: “Please say it again.”
能再说一遍吗？
Néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?
Casual Relaxed, for teammates.
Pronunciation line: Pinyin, dictionary tones.
Formal or casual?
Mandarin has a polite “you”, 您 (nín), next to the everyday 你 (nǐ). In mainland work calls 你 is normal between peers; 您 is for clients, senior people and anyone you don’t know. 不好意思 (“sorry to bother you”) and 请 (“please”) soften any request.
The Chinese below is simplified characters as used in mainland China. Pinyin is written with dictionary tones; in speech 一 (yī) and 不 (bù) change tone before some syllables.
When you did not hear it
Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
A sentence was lost to noise or crosstalk.
不好意思，我没听清楚。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ méi tīng qīngchu.
Neutral
Could you repeat the last part?
You heard the start and lost the end.
最后那部分能再说一遍吗？
Zuìhòu nà bùfen néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?
Neutral
Could you speak a little louder?
The speaker is far from their microphone.
您能大声一点吗？
Nín néng dàshēng yīdiǎn ma?
Polite
Could you speak more slowly, please?
The point is important and it came too fast.
您能说慢一点吗？
Nín néng shuō màn yīdiǎn ma?
Polite
When you heard it but did not understand
I don’t quite understand.
Say it early rather than nodding along.
我不太明白。
Wǒ bù tài míngbai.
Neutral For “I didn’t understand what I heard”: 我没听懂 (Wǒ méi tīngdǒng).
What does ___ mean?
An acronym, a product name or in-house jargon.
“___”是什么意思？
“___” shì shénme yìsi?
Neutral
Could you explain that another way?
A repeat in the same words would not help.
您能换个说法解释一下吗？
Nín néng huàn ge shuōfǎ jiěshì yīxià ma?
Polite
So you mean that ___?
Check a decision back before you act on it.
您的意思是___吗？
Nín de yìsi shì ___ ma?
Polite
When the connection is the problem
I can’t hear you.
The speaker’s sound is gone.
我听不到您的声音。
Wǒ tīng bu dào nín de shēngyīn.
Polite
Can you hear me?
Right after you join or unmute.
能听到我说话吗？
Néng tīngdào wǒ shuōhuà ma?
Neutral
Your audio is breaking up.
Words drop out of the middle of sentences.
您的声音断断续续的。
Nín de shēngyīn duànduàn-xùxù de.
Polite
I think you’re on mute.
Lips move, no sound.
您好像静音了。
Nín hǎoxiàng jìngyīn le.
Polite Also common: 您好像没开麦 (Nín hǎoxiàng méi kāi mài).
Sorry, my connection dropped.
You rejoin after being cut off.
不好意思，我刚才掉线了。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ gāngcái diàoxiàn le.
Neutral
Can you see my screen?
You start sharing.
大家能看到我的屏幕吗？
Dàjiā néng kàndào wǒ de píngmù ma?
Neutral To the whole group.
Names, spelling and the chat
Sorry, could you tell me your name again?
Introductions went by too quickly.
不好意思，能再说一下您的名字吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, néng zài shuō yīxià nín de míngzi ma?
Polite
How do you write it?
A name, an address or a term you will need later.
怎么写？
Zěnme xiě?
Neutral For a name: 是哪个字？ (Shì nǎ ge zì?) — “which character is it?”
Could you write it in the chat?
Numbers, links and names are safer in writing.
能发到聊天框里吗？
Néng fādào liáotiānkuàng lǐ ma?
Neutral
Keeping the meeting moving
One moment, please.
You need a second to find something.
请稍等。
Qǐng shāoděng.
Polite
Sorry to interrupt.
You need to step in before the topic moves on.
不好意思，打断一下。
Bù hǎoyìsi, dǎduàn yīxià.
Neutral
Got it, thank you.
Close the loop after they repeat.
明白了，谢谢。
Míngbai le, xièxie.
Neutral
Short replies to be careful with
- 什么？ (Shénme?) — On its own it sounds blunt, like a bare “What?”.
- 你再说一遍？ (Nǐ zài shuō yī biàn?) — Can sound like a challenge — “say that again, I dare you” — depending on tone. Use 能再说一遍吗？ instead.
One call, start to finish
The same phrases in the order a real meeting tends to need them.
-
1. The speaker’s audio cuts out in the middle of a sentence.
您的声音断断续续的。
Nín de shēngyīn duànduàn-xùxù de.
不好意思，您能再说一遍吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, nín néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?
-
2. The next point comes too fast to follow.
您能说慢一点吗？
Nín néng shuō màn yīdiǎn ma?
-
3. A new participant introduces themselves and you miss the name.
不好意思，能再说一下您的名字吗？
Bù hǎoyìsi, néng zài shuō yīxià nín de míngzi ma?
怎么写？
Zěnme xiě?
-
4. They read out a number you need to get exactly right.
能发到聊天框里吗？
Néng fādào liáotiānkuàng lǐ ma?
明白了，谢谢。
Míngbai le, xièxie.
If the whole meeting is in Chinese
Phrases get you through a few missed sentences. When the entire call is in Chinese (Mandarin) and you follow it at half speed, reading helps more than asking again. Trippi is a browser extension for Chrome and Edge that shows live captions of what is said in Chinese, with a translation into English under each line, in Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams in the browser. No bot joins the call, and it is free to start.
What it does not do: it does not work in the desktop Zoom or Teams apps, and automatic captions still miss rare names and jargon — which is exactly when the phrases above come in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most polite way to say “Can you repeat that?” in Chinese?+
不好意思，您能再说一遍吗？ (Bù hǎoyìsi, nín néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?) — Uses 您. For clients, senior people and people you don’t know. With colleagues: 能再说一遍吗？ (Néng zài shuō yī biàn ma?).
How do you say “Can you speak slower?” in Chinese?+
您能说慢一点吗？ (Nín néng shuō màn yīdiǎn ma?) It is polite and fits a work call.
How do you say “I don’t understand” in Chinese?+
我不太明白。 (Wǒ bù tài míngbai.) For “I didn’t understand what I heard”: 我没听懂 (Wǒ méi tīngdǒng).
Is “什么？” rude in Chinese (Mandarin)?+
On its own it sounds blunt, like a bare “What?”.
What if I still don’t understand after they repeat it in Chinese?+
Ask for a different explanation — 您能换个说法解释一下吗？ (Nín néng huàn ge shuōfǎ jiěshì yīxià ma?) — or ask them to put it in the chat: 能发到聊天框里吗？ (Néng fādào liáotiānkuàng lǐ ma?)