歉意 (qiàn yì) is a formal noun meaning 'apology' or 'feeling of remorse'. It combines 歉 (qiàn), which means 'regret' or 'apology', and 意 (yì), meaning 'intention' or 'feeling'. Together, they convey the inner emotional state of regret and the intention to express it — not just the act of saying 'sorry', but the sincere sentiment behind it. It’s commonly used in written Chinese and polite spoken contexts, especially when acknowledging fault or expressing contrition for a mistake, inconvenience, or hurt.

This word carries a respectful, somewhat solemn tone and is rarely used in casual speech among close friends. It often appears after verbs like 表达 (to express), 道 (to offer), or 深表 (to deeply express), and may be modified by adjectives such as 真诚的 (sincere) or 深深的 (deep). Unlike the verb 道歉 (to apologize), 歉意 is a noun — so you say 'express an apology', not 'apologize an apology'.