抱歉

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 抱歉 (bàoqiàn) is composed of two characters: 抱 (bào) and 歉 (qiàn). 抱 originally meant "to hold in the arms" or "to embrace", but in modern Chinese it is often used to express feelings or emotions. 歉, on the other hand, means "lacking" or "deficient". When combined, 抱歉 literally means "to hold a deficiency" or "to feel a lack of something". In the context of language use, 抱歉 is used to express regret, apology, or a sense of inadequacy. It is a common phrase used in both formal and informal settings to convey a sense of remorse or to acknowledge a mistake.