Taxonomy of meanings for 謝:　　

  • 謝 xiè (OC: ljaaɡs MC: zia) 辝夜切 去 廣韻：【辝謝又姓出陳郡㑹稽二望辝夜切三 】
    • YIELD
      • vtoNdecline, excuse oneself
      • psychological> GRATEFUL
          • speech act> THANK
            • viactexpress one's thanks
            • vtoNthank
            • vttoN.+Sthank N and say:
            • vttoN1.+N2express one's thanks to somebody for something
            • public, directly> TOAST
                • private, indirectly, inquite after> GREET
            • to victor> SURRENDER
                • to time> DECLINE
                  • vtoNreject (something obviously attractive)CH
                  • periodically> CHANGE
                      • specifically in wetness> WITHER
                          • specifically in colour> FADE
                    • and acknowledge guilt> APOLOGISE
                      • viactbeg pardon; offer one's apologies, apologise; apologise for one's misdeeds
                      • vt(oN.)+Vapologise to a contextually determinate person 謝曰：。。。
                      • vt(oN)apologise (for something contextually determinate)
                      • vt+prep+Napologise (to someone) on someone else's behalf 往謝焉
                      • vt+V[0]apologise for V-ing
                      • vtoN.+Vapologise to N and say 謝之曰
                      • vtoNHF 2.7.29: apologise to; make apologies for a misdeed (on behalf of someone)
                      • vtoNobject=causebeg to be excused because of 謝病
                      • vtoNN=offenceapologise for the offence N
                      • vtt(oN1.)+N2apologise to the contextually determinate N1 for N2
                      • elaborate on what needs explanation> EXPLAIN
                        • emotion attached> SHAME
                          • take leave to depart> FAREWELL
                              • generalised> LEAVE
                                • vtoNleave
                                • and cease to offer service> RESIGN
                                    • generalised> RETIRE
                                      • viacthand in one's effective resignation, resign effectivelyCH
                                    • transitive: reject offer> REFUSE
                                      • vtoNobject=groundsrefuse politely on the grounds of N 謝病
                                      • physically> DISCARD
                                        • vtoNreject (for one's use)CH
                          • CITIES

                            Additional information about 謝

                            說文解字:

                              Criteria
                            • APOLOGISE

                              NB: There is, so far, no sufficient basis to distinguish between the meanings of these words, which are rare in this meaning.

                              1. Xiè 謝 is the standard word to use, but, surprisingly, the word is quite rare.

                              2. Cí 辭 can perhaps be taken to emphasise the explanations made on the occasion of apologising, but examples are too few to be sure.

                              3. Qǐng 請 emphasises, perhaps, the implicit request for the apology to be accepted, but examples are too few to be sure.

                            • THANK

                              1. There is no common or current word for "to thank" in classical Chinese. Xiè 謝 is very occasionally used to express this meaning.

                              2. Wǎng bài qí mén 往拜其門 (MENG) is a classical periphrastic idiom referring to thanking.

                            • YIELD

                              1. The dominant general word referring to yielding politely to others or giving precedence to them is ràng 讓 (ant. líng 陵 "treat without proper respect").

                              2. Qiān 謙 (ant. jiāo 驕 "arrogant in attitude" and ào 傲 "impolite and arrogant in action") refers to the general attitude or disposition towards giving precedence to others.

                              3. Cí 辭 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to declining politely an offer that has been made to one.

                              4. Xiè 謝 (ant. shòu 受 "accept") refers to informally but politely declining something offered to one in private context.

                              5. Shàn 禪 refers specifically to declining the high office of an emperor.

                              NB: Lǐ 禮 "treat with proper yielding politeness" is marginal in this group.