Air travel in Chinese: landing and disembarking

In this Part 4 of my series on Air Travel in Chinese, I will provide you with a sample Chinese dialogue, phrases and vocabulary you will need for when your flight lands.

Please check out the other posts in my Air Travel in Chinese series:

Dialogue


Preparing for Landing – Chinese Dialogue

乘chéng务wù员yuán /  Flight Attendant:
Passengers, your attention please:

各gè位wèi乘chéng客kè请qǐng注zhù意yì。.
gèwèi chéngkè qǐng zhùyì

The plane will be landing in approximately 20 minutes
飞fēi机jī大dà约yuē2200分fēn钟zhōng后hòu着zhuó陆lù。.
fēijī dàyuē èrshí fēnzhōng hòu zhuólù.

Please return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt
请qǐng回huí到dào您nín的de座zuò位wèi上shàng,,系xì好hǎo安ān全quán带dài。.
qǐng huí dào nín de zuòwèi shàng, xì hǎo ānquán dài.

Please bring your tray table to the upright and locked position
请qǐng把bǎ小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn放fàng回huí原yuán位wèi并bìng固gù定dìng好hǎo。.
qǐng bǎ xiǎo zhuō bǎn fàng huí yuán wèi bìng gùdìng hǎo.

Please turn off your electronic devices.
请qǐng关guān闭bì所suǒ有yǒu的de电diàn子zǐ设shè备bèi。.
qǐng guānbì suǒyǒu de diànzǐ shèbèi.


Dialogue Breakdown

Passengers, your attention please:
各gè位wèi乘chéng客kè请qǐng注zhù意yì。.
各gè位wèi 乘chéng客kè 请qǐng 注zhù意yì
gèwèi chéngkè qǐng zhùyì
all passengers please pay attention

Notes:

  • This sentence is directly equivalent of “everybody please pay attention“
  • 各gè位wèi (gèwèi) means “everybody“ or “ladies and gentlemen”. A similar word you may have come across is 大dà家jiā (dàjiā), however this doesn’t carry the meaning of “ladies and gentlemen’ example:
    • “goodbye everybody” 了le,,各gè位wèi (zàile, gèwèi)
    • “bottoms-up everyone!” 各gè位wèi,,干gān杯bēi!! (gèwèi, gānbēi!)
    • “ladies and gentlemen” 各gè位wèi女nǚ士shì、、各gè位wèi先Xiān生sheng (gèwèi nǚshì, gèwèi xiānshēng) is another common way of saying ladies and gentlemen, although is really the equivalent of “all woman, all men”; you can borrow this phrase to address a group of women as “ladies” 各gè位wèi女nǚ士shì (gèwèi nǚshì) or a group of men as “gentlemen” 各gè位wèi先Xiān生sheng (gèwèi xiānshēng).
  • 乘chéng客kè (chéngkè) means “passengers”, thus 各gè位wèi乘chéng客kè means “all passengers”.
  • 注zhù意yì (zhùyì) means to “pay attention”, which may may have seen on notices or heard verbally:
    • “you need to pay attention” 你nǐ要yào注zhù意yì (nǐ yào zhùyì)
    • “please pay attention” 请qǐng注zhù意yì (qǐng zhùyì)

The plane will be landing in approximately 20 minutes
飞fēi机jī大dà约yuē2200分fēn钟zhōng后hòu着zhuó陆lù。.
飞fēi机jī 大dà约yuē 2200分fēn钟zhōng后hòu 着zhuó陆lù
fēijī dàyuē èrshí fēnzhōng hòu zhuólù
plane approximately in (after) 20 minutes landing

Notes:

  • This the equivalent of English “the plane, in approximately, 20 minutes time will land“
  • 大dà约yuē (dàyuē) means “approximately” but can also mean “probably”, some examples:
    • “(an) approximately one hour flight)” 大dà约yuē一yī小xiǎo时shí的de飞fēi行xíng (dàyuē yī xiǎoshí de fēixíng)
    • “approximately $15 (USD)” 大dà约yuē1155美Měi元yuán (dàyuē shíwǔ měiyuán)
  • 2200分fēn钟zhōng后hòu (èrshí fēnzhōng hòu) means “in 20 minutes” or more correctly”after 20 minutes”, specifically 分fēn钟zhōng (fēnzhōng ) means minutes and 后 (hòu) means “after”. Please check out my post on how to tell the time in Chinese.
  • 着zhuó陆lù (zhuólù) means “to land’, another example is:
    • “we are about to land” 我wǒ们men很hěn快kuài就jiù要yào着zhuó陆lù (wǒmen hěn kuài jiù yào zhuólù)

Please return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt
请qǐng回huí到dào您nín的de座zuò位wèi上shàng,,系xì好hǎo安ān全quán带dài。.
请qǐng 回huí到dào 您nín的de 座zuò位wèi上shàng 系xì好hǎo 安ān全quán带dài
qǐng huí dào nín de zuòwèi shàng xì hǎo ānquán dài
please return your (upon) seat fasten safety belt

Notes:

  • In English this is “please return to your seat and fasten your safety belt“
  • 回huí到dào (huí dào) means “to return” e.g.
    • “I returned to bed” 我wǒssttrroonngg>>回huí到dào//ssttrroonngg>>了le床chuáng上shàng (wǒ huí dào le chuángshàng)
    • “let me go back to what I just said” 让ràng我wǒ们menssttrroonngg>>回huí到dào//ssttrroonngg>>我wǒ刚gāng才cái讲jiǎng的de事shì情qing (ràng wǒmen huí dào wǒ gāngcái jiǎng de shìqíng)
  • 上shàng (shàng) means upon, in this case “upon (your) seat” 座zuò位wèi上shàng (zuòwèi shàng). You can use 上shàng (shàng) in situations where you want to talk about something being above or on top of something else. Check out my post on opposites in Chinese.
  • Remember “fasten your seat belt” 系xì好hǎo安ān全quán带dài (xì hǎo ānquán dài) as a set phrase that you can also use when in a car or other situations where you need to say “fasten your seat belt’.

Please bring your tray table to the upright and locked position
请qǐng把bǎ小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn放fàng回huí原yuán位wèi并bìng固gù定dìng好hǎo。.
请qǐng 把bǎ 小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn 放fàng回huí 原yuán位wèi 并bìng 固gù定dìng好hǎo
qǐng bǎ xiǎo zhuō bǎn fàng huí yuán wèi bìng gùdìng hǎo
please with
regards
to
tray table put back original
position
and lock

Notes:

  • This sentence uses the 把bǎ (bǎ) which technically speaking makes the noun following it a “direct object”, or to put more simply, you use 把bǎ (bǎ) to change the order of a sentence and are emphasising what comes after把bǎ (bǎ), in this case:
    • “put back your tray table” 放fàng回huí原yuán位wèi你nǐ的de小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn (fàng huí yuán wèi nǐ de xiǎo zhuō bǎn); here “put back” is emphasised.
    • “with regards to your tray table, put it back” 把bǎ小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn放fàng回huí原yuán位wèi (bǎ xiǎo zhuō bǎn fàng huí yuán wèi); here “your tray table” carries the emphasis
  • Although 好 (hǎo) means “good”, it is also used to show an action is completed, for example:
    • “sit up” or “sit properly” 坐好 (zuò hǎo)
    • ”stand up” 站好 (zhàn hǎo)
    • “close” 关好 (guān hǎo)

Please turn off your electronic devices.
请qǐng关guān闭bì所suǒ有yǒu的de电diàn子zǐ设shè备bèi。.
请qǐng 关guān闭bì 所suǒ有yǒu的de 电diàn子zǐ设shè备bèi
qǐng guānbì suǒyǒu de diànzǐ shèbèi
please close (turn off) all electronic equipment

Notes:

  • This sentence has very similar to English, “please turn off all your electronic equipment“
  • 关guān闭bì (guānbì) is a variation of 关guān (guān), here are some examples:
    • “close Google” ssttrroonngg>>关guān闭bì//ssttrroonngg>>ggooooggllee..ccoomm (guānbì google.com)
    • “close the window” ssttrroonngg>>关guān闭bì//ssttrroonngg>>窗chuāng口kǒu (guānbì chuāngkǒu)
    • “close a company” ssttrroonngg>>关guān闭bì//ssttrroonngg>>公gōng司sī (guānbì gōngsī)
    • “shutdown (close) the computer” ssttrroonngg>>关guān闭bì//ssttrroonngg>>电diàn脑nǎo (guānbì diànnǎo)

Landed at the Airport – Chinese Dialogue

乘chéng务wù员yuán /  Flight Attendant:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
各gè位wèi贵guì宾bīn::
gèwèi guìbīn:

We have now landed at Beijing Capital International Airport.
我wǒ们men现xiàn在zài已yǐ经jīng降jiàng落luò在zài北Běi京jīng首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng了le。.
wǒmen xiànzài yǐjīng jiàngluò zài běijīng shǒudū guójì jīchǎngle.

Please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop.
请qǐng在zài飞fēi机jī完wán全quán停tíng止zhǐ前qián,,继jì续xù坐zuò在zài位wèi子zi上shàng。.
qǐng zài fēijī wánquán tíngzhǐ qián, jìxù zuò zài wèizi shàng.

Please don’t forget your personal belongings.
下xià机jī时shí请qǐng不bù要yào忘wàng了le随suí身shēn携xié带dài的de行xíng李li。.
xià jī shí qǐng bùyào wàngle suíshēn xiédài de xínglǐ.

Thank you for flying Singapore Airlines.
非fēi常cháng感gǎn谢xiè您nín搭dā乘chéng新Xīn加jiā坡pō航háng空kōng。.
fēicháng gǎnxiè nín dāchéng xīnjiāpō hángkōng.


Dialogue Braekdown

Ladies and Gentlemen:
各gè位wèi贵guì宾bīn::
各gè位wèi 贵guì宾bīn
gèwèi guìbīn
all honoured guests

Notes:

  • 各gè位wèi贵guì宾bīn (gèwèi guìbīn) is simply a very polite way of say “honoured guests”, and not something you will hear in day-to-day conversation.

We have now landed at Beijing Capital International Airport.
我wǒ们men现xiàn在zài已yǐ经jīng降jiàng落luò在zài北Běi京jīng首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng了le。.
我wǒ们men 现xiàn在zài 已yǐ经jīng 降jiàng落luò 在zài 北Běi京jīng首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng 了le
wǒmen xiànzài yǐjīng jiàngluò zài běijīng shǒudū
guójì jīchǎng
le
we now already landed at Beijing Capital
International
Airport
<past tense>

Notes:

  • You can see from the above how similar the sentence structure between Chinese and English as we would pretty much say the same thing in English i.e. “we now have landed at Beijing Capital International Airport”
  • 降jiàng落luò (jiàngluò) is the word for “landed”
  • 北Běi京jīng首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng (běijīng shǒudū guójì jīchǎng) is the name of what you might know as Beijing International Airport. Note there is a second international airport that has been opened in Beijing, however this is the original airport that is closer to the city centre. Broken down this means:
    • 北Běi京jīng (běijīng)
    • 首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng (shǒudū)
    • 国guó际jì机jī场chǎng (guójì)
    • 机jī场chǎng (jīchǎng)

Please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop.
请qǐng在zài飞fēi机jī完wán全quán停tíng止zhǐ前qián,,继jì续xù坐zuò在zài位wèi子zi上shàng。.
请qǐng 在zài 飞fēi机jī 完wán全quán 停tíng止zhǐ 前qián
qǐng zài fēijī wánquán tíngzhǐ qián
please while plane complete stop before
继jì续xù 坐zuò 在zài 位wèi子zi 上shàng
jìxù zuò zài wèizi shàng
continue sit at seat upon

Notes:

  • Although 在zài (zài) is normally first introduced to learners of Chinese as meaning “to be located”, it can mean to be “in the middle of“ doing something, here some examples of both uses:
    • “I am cooking” 我wǒssttrroonngg>>在zài//ssttrroonngg>>做zuò饭fàn (wǒ zài zuò fàn)
    • ”He was joking” (tā zài kāiwánxiào)
    • “He is driving” 他tā在zài开kāi车chē (tā zài kāichē)
    • “I am in Beijing” 我wǒ在zài北Běi京jīng (wǒ zài běijīng)
    • “I’m at home” 我wǒssttrroonngg>>在zài//ssttrroonngg>>家jiā (wǒ zài jiā)
  • 飞fēi机jī完wán全quán停tíng止zhǐ前qián (fēijī wánquán tíngzhǐ qián) means “before the plane (comes to a) complete stop”, although the setence order is not the same as English. Specifically you should pay attention to the way that “before” 前qián (qián) is placed at the end of this phrase rather than beginning. Here are some examples of “before” 前qián (qián) and “after” 后hòu (hòu):
    • “after getting home” 回huí家jiāssttrroonngg>>后hòu//ssttrroonngg>> (huí jiā hòu)
    • ”after getting off the train (vehicle)” 下xià车chēssttrroonngg>>后hòu//ssttrroonngg>> (xià chē hòu)
    • “before driving” 开kāi车chēssttrroonngg>>前qián//ssttrroonngg>> (kāichē qián)
    • “before cooking” 做zuò饭fànssttrroonngg>>前qián//ssttrroonngg>> (zuò fàn qián)
  • 完wán全quán (wánquán) means “complete” e.g.
    • “I completely forgot” 我wǒssttrroonngg>>完wán全quán//ssttrroonngg>>忘wàng却què了le (wǒ wánquán wàngquèle)
  • 停tíng止zhǐ (tíngzhǐ) means “stop”. A common variant of this is “stop” 停tíng (tíng); some examples:
    • “I told him to stop” 我wǒ告gào诉sù他tāssttrroonngg>>停tíng止zhǐ//ssttrroonngg>> (wǒ gàosù tā tíngzhǐ)
    • ”I stopped talking to him” 我wǒssttrroonngg>>停tíng止zhǐ//ssttrroonngg>>和hé他tā交jiāo谈tán (wǒ tíngzhǐ hé tā jiāotán)
    • “please stop/park the car” 请qǐngssttrroonngg>>停tíng//ssttrroonngg>>车chē (qǐng tíngchē)

Please don’t forget your personal belongings.
下xià机jī时shí请qǐng不bù要yào忘wàng了le随suí身shēn携xié带dài的de行xíng李li。.
下xià机jī时shí 请qǐng 不bù要yào 忘wàng 了le 随suí身shēn携xié带dài 的de 行xíng李li
xià jī shí qǐng bùyào wàng le suíshēn xiédài de xínglǐ
at the time of
alighting from the
plane
please don’t forget <past tense> carry-on <possession luggage

Notes:

  • 下xià机jī时shí (xià jī shí) means “at the time of getting off the plane”, let’s break this down.
    • 下xià机jī (xià jī) means “to get off the plane”, although literally is “get down from – machine”. You will see 下xià (xià) and it’s opposite 上shàng (shàng) commonly used when talking about getting on/in or off/out a vehicle respectively:
      • “get off the train/bus/car” ssttrroonngg>>下xià//ssttrroonngg>>车chē (xià chē)
      • “get on the train/bus/car” ssttrroonngg>>上shàng//ssttrroonngg>>车chē (shàng chē)
    • 时shí (shí) means “at the time of” or “while”, for example
      • “don’t bother me while I’m driving” 我wǒ开kāi车chēssttrroonngg>>时shí//ssttrroonngg>>别bié打dǎ搅jiǎo我wǒ (wǒ kāichē shí bié dǎjiǎo wǒ)
      • “while I was cooking, the phone rang” 我wǒ做zuò饭fànssttrroonngg>>时shí//ssttrroonngg>>,,电diàn话huà铃líng响xiǎng了le (wǒ zuò fàn shí, diànhuà líng xiǎngle)
  • 忘wàng (wàng) means “to forget”. e.g.
    • “I completely forgot” 我wǒ完wán全quán忘wàng却què了le (wǒ wánquán wàngquèle)
    • “don’t forget” 别bié忘wàng (别忘)
  • b
  • c

Thank you for flying Singapore Airlines.
非fēi常cháng感gǎn谢xiè您nín搭dā乘chéng新Xīn加jiā坡pō航háng空kōng。.
非fēi常cháng 感gǎn谢xiè 您nín 搭dā乘chéng 新Xīn加jiā坡pō航háng空kōng
fēicháng gǎnxiè nín dāchéng xīnjiāpō hángkōng
extreme (many) thanks (for) you travelling with Singapore Airlines

Notes:

  • 非fēi常cháng (fēicháng) means, “extremely” and 感gǎn谢xiè (gǎnxiè), thus put together this is the equivalent of saying “many things” in English 非常cháng感gǎn谢xiè (fēicháng gǎnxiè).
  • 新Xīn加jiā坡pō航háng空kōng (xīnjiāpō hángkōng) is the name of Singapore Airlines, and is comprised of the word for Singapore 新Xīn加jiā坡pō (xīnjiāpō) and the word for aviation 航háng空kōng (hángkōng).

Vocabulary

Dialogue Vocabulary

English Chinese Pronunciation (Pinyin)
all passengers 各gè位wèi乘chéng客kè gèwèi chéngkè
please 请qǐng qǐng
attention 注zhù意yì zhùyì
plane 飞fēi机jī fēijī
approximately 大dà约yuē dàyuē
minute(s) 分fēn钟zhōng fēnzhōng
landing 着zhuó陆lù zhuólù
return to 回huí到dào huí dào
your 您nín的de nín de
seat 座zuò位wèi zuòwèi
fasten 系xì好hǎo xì hǎo
seatbelt 安ān全quán带dài ānquán dài
tray-table 小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn xiǎo zhuō bǎn
return to original position 放fàng回huí原yuán位wèi fàng huí yuán wèi
secure / fasten 固gù定dìng好hǎo gùdìng hǎo
turn-off 关guān闭bì guānbì
all 所suǒ有yǒu suǒyǒu
electronic devices 电diàn子zǐ设shè备bèi de diànzǐ shèbèi
Ladies and Gentlemen 各gè位wèi贵guì宾bīn gèwèi guìbīn
now 现xiàn在zài xiànzài.
already’ 已yǐ经jīng yǐjīng
landed 降jiàng落luò jiàngluò
international airport 国guó际jì机jī场chǎng guójì jīchǎng
international 国guó际jì guójì
airport 机jī场chǎng jīchǎng
aeroplane 飞fēi机jī fēijī
complete stop 完wán全quán停tíng止zhǐ wánquán tíngzhǐ
continue 继jì续xù jìxù
sit 坐zuò zuò
seat 位wèi子zi wèizi
align / get off the plane 下xià机jī xià jī
forget 忘wàng wàng
hand luggage 随suí身shēn携xié带dài的de行xíng李li suíshēn xiédài de xínglǐ
extremely grateful 非fēi常cháng感gǎn谢xiè fēicháng gǎnxiè
travel with 搭dā乘chéng dāchéng.
aviation (airline) 航háng空kōng hángkōng

Extended Vocabulary

Be sure to check out related posts on:

Phrases

Dialogue Phrases

English Chinese Pronunciation (Pinyin)
Passengers, your attention please. 各gè位wèi乘chéng客kè请qǐng注zhù意yì。. gèwèi chéngkè qǐng zhùyì
The plane will be landing in approximately 20 minutes 飞fēi机jī大dà约yuē2200分fēn钟zhōng后hòu着zhuó陆lù。. fēijī dàyuē èrshí fēnzhōng hòu zhuólù.
Please return to your seat and fasten your seatbelt 请qǐng qǐng huí dào nín de zuòwèi shàng, xì hǎo ānquán dài.
Please bring your tray table to the upright and locked position 小xiǎo桌zhuō板bǎn qǐng bǎ xiǎo zhuō bǎn fàng huí yuán wèi bìng gùdìng hǎo.
Please turn off your electronic devices. 请qǐng关guān闭bì所suǒ有yǒu的de电diàn子zǐ设shè备bèi。. qǐng guānbì suǒyǒu de diànzǐ shèbèi.
Ladies and Gentlemen. 各gè位wèi贵guì宾bīn。. gèwèi guìbīn.
We have now landed at Beijing Capital International Airport. 我wǒ们men现xiàn在zài已yǐ经jīng降jiàng落luò在zài北Běi京jīng首Shǒu都dū国Guó际jì机Jī场chǎng了le。. wǒmen xiànzài yǐjīng jiàngluò zài běijīng shǒudū guójì jīchǎngle.
Please remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop. 请qǐng在zài飞fēi机jī完wán全quán停tíng止zhǐ前qián,,继jì续xù坐zuò在zài位wèi子zi上shàng。. qǐng zài fēijī wánquán tíngzhǐ qián, jìxù zài wèizi shàng.
Please don’t forget your personal belongings. 下xià机jī时shí请qǐng不bù要yào忘wàng了le随suí身shēn携xié带dài的de行xíng李li。. xià jī shí qǐng bùyào wàngle suíshēn xiédài de xínglǐ.
Thank you for flying Singapore Airlines. 非fēi常cháng感gǎn谢xiè您nín搭dā乘chéng新Xīn加jiā坡pō航háng空kōng。. fēicháng gǎnxiè nín dāchéng xīnjiāpō hángkōng.

Wrapping it up

In this four part Air Travel in Chinese series I’ve covered the Chinese vocabulary and phrases you need for airport arrival & departure, boarding & finding your seat on the plane, the food & beverage service and landing & disembarking your flight. I normally update my posts from time to time with additional vocabulary, phrases and other improvements, so be sure to check back in the future.