I think there's been a mix-up
Neutral Polite
What it really means
A gentle way to say "you have made a mistake" without blaming anyone. Useful for wrong orders, wrong bills or double bookings. Staff usually respond much better to this than to anger.
Chinese explanation
委婉指出对方出错、又不点名怪罪的说法。适用于上错菜、账单有误、重复预订等场合。比发火有效得多，工作人员也更愿意配合。
Example conversation
A: Excuse me, I think there's been a mix-up — we ordered the vegetarian option.
B: Apologies — let me check that with the kitchen.
A：不好意思，好像弄混了——我们点的是素食。
B：抱歉——我去和后厨核实一下。
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake