Lesson 19: Transportation
Transportation is extremely important to travelers. Knowing how to communicate and inquire about public transportation in Chinese will get you to places quickly and safely.
Vocabulary A:
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Pronunciation | English Translation | |
| 买 | mǎi | buy | ||
| 辆 | liàng | numeral adjunct for vehicles | ||
| 自行车 | zì xíng chē | bike, bicycle | ||
| 自 | zì | self, private, personal; from | ||
| 行 | xíng | go; walk; move, travel; circulate | ||
| 车 | chē | cart, vehicle; carry in cart | ||
| 以后 | yǐ hòu | from now on | ||
| 以 | yǐ | by means of; thereby, therefore; | ||
| 不用 | bú yòng | no need to | ||
| 用 | yòng | use, employ, apply, operate; use | ||
| 乘坐 | chéng zuò | ride | ||
| 乘 | chéng | ride; numeral adjunct for vehicles | ||
| 坐 | zuò | sit; seat; ride, travel by | ||
| 公共 | gōng gòng | public | ||
| 汽车 | qì chē | car; vehicle; | ||
| 汽 | qì | steam, vapor, gas | ||
| 地铁 | dì tiě | subway | ||
| 铁 | tiě | iron; strong, solid, firm | ||
| 离 | lí | rare beast; strange; elegant | ||
Tips A:
- The common transportation tools are:
自行车 (bike) - zi xing che
公共汽车(bus) - gong gong qi che
出租车(cab) - chu zu che
地铁(subway) - di tie
轻轨(sky train) - qing gui
火车(train) - huo che
飞机(air plane) - fei ji
轮船(ferry, ship) - lun chuan
Dialog A:
Click to hear the above dialog.
English Translation A:
A: I bought a bike, so I don't have to walk to work every day from now on .
B: Then how did you come to work in the past?
A: I had to take bus first, then take the subway.
B: Wow, your home was so far from here?
Vocabulary B:
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Pronunciation | English Translation | |
| 机场 | ji chang | airport | ||
| 场 | chang | open space, field, market | ||
| 或者 | huo zhe | perhaps | ||
| 或 | huo | or, either, else; perhaps, maybe | ||
| 者 | zhe | that which; he who; those who | ||
| 轻轨 | qing gui | sky train | ||
| 轻 | qing | light; easy, simple; gentle | ||
| 轨 | gui | track, rut, path | ||
| 但是 | dan shi | however; but | ||
| 但 | dan | only; but, however, yet, still | ||
| 而且 | er qie | moreover | ||
| 而 | er | and; and then; and yet; but | ||
| 且 | qie | moreover, also | ||
| 麻烦 | ma fan | trouble | ||
| 麻 | ma | hemp, jute, flax; sesame | ||
| 烦 | fan | bother, vex, trouble; troublesome | ||
| 出租车 | chu zu che | taxi | ||
| 出 | chu | go out, send out; stand; produce | ||
| 租 | zu | rent, lease; rental; tax | ||
| 贵 | gui | expensive, costly, valuable | ||
| 开车 | kai che | driving | ||
| 开 | kai | open; initiate, begin, start | ||
| 送 | song | see off, send off; dispatch, give | ||
Tips B:
- In Chinese language, the word "sit" (坐=zuo) can be used as the word "take" in English for any public transportation. Similar to the word "乘=cheng".
- "打的" (da di) is the simpler version of "take taxi", it is widely used in China.
- The subway system in China major cities are much simpler than European or North American Subway systems. However, they are often very packed. Taxi is relatively cheap, especially in the non-major cities.
Dialog B:
Click to hear the above dialog.
English Translation B:
A: I want to go to the airport, can I get there by subway or sky train?
B: Yes you can, but subway and sky train are too packed, and they are complicated.
A: Then I will take a taxi.
B: Taxi is rather expensive, let me drive you there!
A: Thank you.
B: You are welcome.
Chinese Calligraphy:
买 辆 自 行 车 以 用 乘 坐 汽 铁 原 来 离 场 或 者 轻 轨 但 而 且 麻 烦 出 租 贵 开 送
Questions and Comments
