您嘞

nínlei
phrase

Meanings

  1. 1 yes, sir/ma'am (polite Beijing reply)
  2. 2 you (respectful, with approving particle)

Examples

HSK 1
您嘞,这边儿请。
Nínlei, zhèbiānr qǐng.
This way, please, sir.
HSK 2
您嘞,慢走!
Nínlei, mànzǒu!
Alright sir/ma'am, take care! (Beijing shop farewell)
HSK 3
Zhè chá nínlei qǐng yòng.
Your tea, sir, please enjoy.

Tips

culture
Textbook polite Beijing service patter, waiters at old tea houses, rickshaw pullers, and hutong shopkeepers layer 您 (formal 'you') with the approving particle 嘞 to make a warm, deferential acknowledgment. Mainstay of 相声 (crosstalk) performances set in old Beijing.
register
嘞 (lei) is the key flavor, a cheerful variant of 了/喽. Works as a standalone response ('got it!') or suffixed to a name/pronoun for politeness. Rarely seen in writing outside dialogue.

Stroke Order

您 nín
嘞 lei