How to Say ‘Oh, not at all, you're too kind.’ in Simplified Chinese
哪里哪里，你过奖了。
nǎ lǐ nǎ lǐ nǐ guò jiǎng le
[nǎlǐ nǎlǐ nee guòjiǎng le]
💬 Usage Tip: 哪里 (nǎ lǐ) normally means "where", but doubled here it's a polite brush-off, roughly "oh, hardly".
🇨🇳 In China: Deflecting praise is the traditional modest response, and older people especially expect it. Younger people on dates often just say 谢谢 "thanks", so this can sound charmingly old-fashioned or a little stiff.
Phrase Breakdown
哪里哪里，
nǎ lǐ nǎ lǐ
Not at all,
nǎli nǎli. This is a humble reply to praise, literally 'where, where'. 哪 dips and 里 is light.
哪里哪里，我还要多学习。
Not at all, I still have much to learn.
Words in this phrase
哪里
nǎ lǐ
[nǎlǐ]
not at all (modest reply)
Said twice to politely deflect a compliment.
哪里哪里，你过奖了。
Not at all, you flatter me.
哪里
nǎ lǐ
[nǎlǐ]
not at all (modest reply)
Said twice to politely deflect a compliment.
哪里哪里，你过奖了。
Not at all, you flatter me.
你过奖了。
nǐ guò jiǎng le
you flatter me.
nǐ guòjiǎng le. 过 falls and 奖 dips. Say it gently and modestly.
老师，您过奖了。
Teacher, you flatter me.
Words in this phrase
你
nǐ
[nee]
you
The informal or neutral word for “you,” suitable for peers or casual conversation.
如果对方和你年纪差不多，可以说“认识你”。
If the other person is about your age, you can say “nice to meet you” with 你.
过奖
guò jiǎng
[guòjiǎng]
to overpraise; you flatter me
A modest reply to a compliment, meaning 'you praise me too much'.
哪里哪里，您过奖了。
Oh no, you flatter me.
了
le
[le]
(change of situation particle)
Placed at the end of a sentence to show a new situation or change of state.
天黑了。
It has gotten dark.
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