RSVP culture
ar-ess-vee-PEE /ˌɑːr es viː ˈpiː/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
If an invitation asks you to RSVP (reply), always answer — yes or no — by the date given, because hosts plan food and seats around numbers. Saying yes and not turning up ("flaking") is genuinely rude, especially for weddings and dinners. Better a polite no than a silent maybe.
Chinese explanation
如果邀请函上写着RSVP（请回复），一定要在截止日期前答复——去或不去都要说，因为主人要按人数准备食物和座位。答应了却不出现（"放鸽子"）是真正的失礼，婚礼和晚宴尤其如此。礼貌的拒绝远好过沉默的"可能"。
Example conversation
A: Did you RSVP to Hannah's wedding yet? The deadline's Friday.
B: Oh no, I forgot — I'll reply tonight. She needs numbers for the caterer.
A：Hannah婚礼的回复你发了吗？周五截止。
B：糟了，我忘了——今晚就回。她要把人数报给餐饮公司。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake