APOLOGISE    道歉謝

ADMIT that one has in the PAST been GUILTY of BAD ACT AND DECLARE that one REGRETS this. 
Old Chinese Criteria
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.
Modern Chinese Criteria
道歉 is the standard word referring to an apology. 致歉 refers in a formal way to the offer of an apology. 賠罪 refers in a formal way to an apology for a serious transgression involving guilt. 賠禮 refers in a formal way to an apology for a transgression involving impropriety. 陪禮 賠話 focusses on the linguistic form of an apology. 賠不是 focusses on the action of asking forgiveness for a wrong-doing. 賠小心 focusses on the action of asking forgiveness, typically for an error of reprehensible thoughtlessness. 賠禮道歉 賠 對不起 對不住 勞駕 first rough draft to identify synonym group members for future analysis 18.11.2003. CH/
Antonym
  • BOASTEXAGGERATE, OR SPEAK of, one's SELF:own GOOD FEATURES OR ACHIEVEMENTS.
Hypernym
  • ADMIT　ASSENT to what the LISTENER has in the PAST DECLARED to be TRUE OR what the LISTENER is BELIEVED to BELIEVE is TRUE. (anc: 14/0, child: 3)
  • ASSENT　SPEAK:say that one BELIEVES what ANOTHER in the PAST has SPEAK:said. (anc: 13/0, child: 3)
  • SPEAK　ACT so as to USE WORDS FOR SHOWING MEANING.*Speech by speaker X, directed towards audience Y, in order to communicate message Z. (anc: 12/0, child: 32)
  • Lateinische Synonyme und Etymologien ( DOEDERLEIN 1840) p.

    APOLOGIZE

    purgatio consists, like justification, in clearing oneself of a suspicion or accusation by proving it to be groundless.

    exusatio "excuse", refes to acknowledging that one has done somethng wrong, but asserting subjective innocence, i.e. claiming that the wrong was committed by mistake.

    satisfactio "attonement" is the satisfaction made to the suffering party of some wrong, or the injured party, in case of innocence.

  • Using Chinese Synonyms ( GRACE ZHANG 2010) p. 83

    • Words (9 items)

    謝  xiè OC:  MC: zɣɛ 25 Attributions

    Xiè 謝 is the standard word to use for an apology, although even this word is not too common.

      Syntactic words
    • viactbeg pardon; offer one's apologies, apologise; apologise for one's misdeeds
    • vt(oN)apologise (for something contextually determinate)
    • vt(oN.)+Vapologise to a contextually determinate person 謝曰：。。。
    • vt+prep+Napologise (to someone) on someone else's behalf 往謝焉
    • vt+V[0]apologise for V-ing
    • vtoNHF 2.7.29: apologise to; make apologies for a misdeed (on behalf of someone)
    • vtoN.+Vapologise to N and say 謝之曰
    • vtoNN=offenceapologise for the offence N
    • vtoNobject=causebeg to be excused because of 謝病
    • vtt(oN1.)+N2apologise to the contextually determinate N1 for N2
    辭  cí OC: zɯ MC: zɨ 12 Attributions

    Cí 辭 can perhaps be taken to emphasise the explanations made on the occasion of apologising.

      Syntactic words
    • nabsocialexcuse 無辭 "have no excuse"
    • viactexplain oneself and apologise; make self-effacing speeches; plead
    • vt prep Sapologise on the basis of SDS
    • vt+prep+Nto apologise (for something)
    • vt+V[0]apologise for Ving.
    • vtoNgive an apologetic explanation for
    請罪  qǐng zuì OC: tsheŋʔ sbuulʔ MC: tshiɛŋ dzuo̝i 7 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiapologise, ask for forgiveness
    • VPt( prep N)apologise to the contextually determinate NCH
    • VPtoNapologise for
    請  qǐng OC: tsheŋʔ MC: tshiɛŋ 6 Attributions

    Qǐng 請 emphasises, perhaps, the implicit request for the apology to be accepted.

      Syntactic words
    • viactapologise; ask for forgiveness, beg for pardon
    • vtoNask forgiveness for 請x之罪
    報謝  bào xiè OC: puuɡs MC: pɑu zɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPtoNapologise to
    謝罪  xiè zuì OC: sbuulʔ MC: zɣɛ dzuo̝i 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPiactbeg forgiveness for one's crimes
    辭謝  cí xiè OC: zɯ MC: zɨ zɣɛ 1 Attribution
      Syntactic words
    • VPt(oN)apologise to the contextually determinate NDS
    • VPtoNapologise to N
    降服  jiàng fú OC: kruums bɯɡ MC: kɣɔŋ buk 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiacttake off one's upper garments to acknowledge one's guilt
    乞命  qǐ mìng OC: khɯd mɢreŋs MC: khɨt mɣaŋ 0 Attributions
      Syntactic words
    • VPiactbeg to have one's life spared; apologise abjectly for a very serious crime