How to catch a taxi in Chinese

In this post we will look at a sample dialogue as well as key vocabulary and phrases for catching a taxi.

How to say taxi in Chinese

There are a few ways to say “taxi” in Chinese, you can use any of these and will be understood:

• 出chū租zū车chē (chū​zū​chē), literally “to rent” + the character for car 车chē (chē)
• 出chū租zū汽qì车chē (chū​zū​qì​chē), a variation of the above, using the full word for car “汽车” ()
• 的dī士shì (dī​shì), which is a loan word. Normally a loan word sounds like a foreign word, such as “bus” 巴bā士shì (bā​shì). In the case of 的dī士shì (dī​shì), it’s orgins are from Cantonese, where the pronunciation is “teksi”, however the word became more commonly spoken in many parts of China.

Catching a Taxi in Chinese Sample Dialogue

At the hotel

The first dialogue takes place at a hotel where we ask the hotel to call a taxi:

Please help me call a taxi.
请帮我叫辆出租车。
qǐng bāng wǒ jiào liàng chū​zū​chē

请	“Please“ qǐng Commonly used to say “please” and frequently used at the start of a sentence. A frequently used phrase you may come across is 请qǐng问wèn (qǐng​wèn), meaning “please (may I) ask”.
帮我	“help me“ bāng wǒ Means “help” 帮bāng (bāng) and “me” 我wǒ (wǒ), for example 帮bāng我wǒ (bāng wǒ) means “help me”
叫	“call“ jiào Means to call or to ask in the same way we use this word in English. For example: – “I’m called Bob” 我wǒ叫jiàoBBoobb (wǒ jiào Bob) – “Please ask him to enter” 请qǐng叫jiào他tā进jìn来lái (qǐng jiào tā jìn​lái)
辆 liàng	“a“ liàng Is the classifier, also known as a “measure word”, that is used for vehicles, for example: – “one car” or “a car” is 一yī辆liàng车chē (yī liàng chē) – “three trucks” is 三sān辆liàng卡kǎ车chē (sān liàng kǎ​chē) where 卡kǎ车chē (kǎ​chē) means “truck”
出租车 chū​zū​chē	“taxi“ chū​zū​chē Taxi can be broken down to mean “rental” 出chū租zū (chū​zū) + “car” 车chē (chē)

Where would you like to go?
你想去哪儿？
nǐ xiǎng qù nǎ​r?

你	“you” nǐ The more polite form of 你nǐ (nǐ) is 您nín (nín), however this polite for is only used in very formal situations, perhaps speaking to your boss or when a waiter in a restaurant speaks to customer.
想	“want” xiǎng Check out our post on the the difference 想 (xiǎng), 要 (yào) and 想要 (xiǎng yào) in Chinese.
去	“go” qù This is used in the same way as we use “go” in English. Some examples – “Don’t go” 不bù要yào去qù (bù​yào qù) – “He’s gone already” 他tā去qù了le (tā qù le)
哪儿	“where” nǎ​r Don’t confuse “where” 哪nǎ儿r (nǎ​r) with “there” 那nà儿r (nà​r). – 他tā想xiǎng去qù哪nǎ儿r？? (tā xiǎng qù nǎ​r?) is a question meaning “he want (to go) where?” – 他tā想xiǎng去qù那nà儿r。. (tā xiǎng qù nà​r.) is a statementing meaning “he wants to go there.”

The city center (downtown). Thank you.
去市中心。谢谢。
qù shì​zhōng​xīn. xiè​xie.

去	“go” qù A frequently used Chinese word meaning “to go”, here are some examples: – “where do you want to go?” 你nǐ去qù哪nǎ儿r？? (nǐ qù nǎ​r?) – “I went to the supermarket” 我wǒ去qù超chāo市shì (wǒ qù chāo​shì)
市中心	“city center” shì​zhōng​xīn Broken down this is comprised of “city” 市shì (shì) and “center” 中zhōng心xīn (zhōng​xīn), which in turn is made up of there characters 中心, both of which mean center. You’ll see the 市shì (shì) used frequently when referring to markets, such as a supermarket, literally “super + market” 超chāo市shì (chāo​shì) as well as being used for cities, such as Beijing city [“北京市”].
谢谢	“thank you” xiè​xie This is a very common way to say “thank you” in Chinese. The character is always repeated, that is 谢谢 is correct, 谢 is not correct.

I’m sorry, the line is engaged.
对不起，线路正忙
duì​bu​qǐ, xiàn​lù zhèng máng

对不起	“Sorry” duì​bu​qǐ 对duì不bu起qǐ (duì​bu​qǐ) is a very common way to say “sorry”
线路	“(telephone) line” xiàn​lù This can mean power line, phone line, but can also mean “bus route” 巴bā士shì线xiàn路lù (bā​shì xiàn​lù)
正	“just, right now” zhèng 正zhèng (zhèng) has several meanings, however in this context it means “just“. An example of 正zhèng (zhèng) are as follows: – “I was just about to go out” 我wǒ正zhèng想xiǎng出chū去qù (wǒ zhèng xiǎng chū​qù) – “I was just about to (prepare to)…” 我wǒ正zhèng准zhǔn备bèi去qù (wǒ zhèng zhǔn​bèi qù)
忙	“busy” máng This is the most common way of saying busy. A simple phrase to remember is “I’m very busy” 我wǒ很hěn忙máng (wǒ hěn máng)

Where is the taxi stand?
出租车停靠站在哪儿？
chū​zū​chē tíng​kào​zhàn zài nǎ​r?

出租车	“taxi“ chū​zū​chē Taxi can be broken down to mean “rental” 出chū租zū (chū​zū) + “car” 车chē (chē)
停靠站	“(taxi) stand” tíng​kào​zhàn This literally means “stop at” 停tíng靠kào (tíng​kào) + “station” 站zhàn (zhàn)
在	“located” A very common character used to say where something is located. Be aware that this character is also commonly used to say that you”re in the middle of doing something, for example “I’m right now (in the middle of) driving (a car)” 我wǒ在zài开kāi车chē (wǒ zài kāi​chē)
哪儿	“where” Don’t confuse “where” 哪nǎ儿r (nǎ​r) with “there” 那nà儿r (nà​r). – 他tā想xiǎng去qù哪nǎ儿r？? (tā xiǎng qù nǎ​r?) is a question meaning “he want (to go) where?” – 他tā想xiǎng去qù那nà儿r。. (tā xiǎng qù nà​r.) is a statementing meaning “he wants to go there.”

Just outside the hotel.
就在酒店外面
jiù zài jiǔ​diàn wài​miàn.

就	“just” (jiù) This means “just”, “only” or “merely”.
在	“located” (zài) This can also mean to “in the process of”
酒店	“hotel” (jiǔ​diàn) This is most commonly used to refer to a hotel, however it can also mean restaurant or tavern / pub. Literally 酒jiǔ (jiǔ) + ”shop” 酒jiǔ店diàn (jiǔ​diàn)
外面	“outside“ (wài​miàn) Literally this means “outside” or “external” 外wài (wài) + “side” 面miàn (miàn) For comparison inside in Chinese is 里lǐ面miàn (lǐ​miàn) which means “inside” or “interior” 里lǐ (lǐ) + “side” 面miàn (miàn)

Thank you.
谢谢
xiè​xie

谢谢	“thank you” (xiè​xie) This is a very common way to say “thank you” in Chinese. The character is always repeated, that is 谢谢 is correct, 谢 is not correct.

In the taxi

You’re now in the taxi and want to be taken to an address. For those not fluent in Chinese, it’s normally easiest to just pass the driver a business card with the address on it.

Please take me to this address.
请送我到这个地址。
qǐng sòng wǒ dào zhè​ge dì​zhǐ

请	“please” (qǐng) Commonly used to say “please” and frequently used at the start of a sentence. A frequently used phrase you may come across is 请qǐng问wèn (qǐng​wèn), meaning “please (may I) ask”.
送	“send” (sòng) 送sòng (sòng) can mean to deliver, send or give. Here are some examples “send him home” 送sòng她tā回huí家jiā (sòng tā huí​jiā)
我	“me” (wǒ)
到	“to (a place)” (dào) 到dào (dào) can mean to arrive, to go to a place or even until. For example: “I’ve arrived” 我wǒ到dào了le (wǒ dào le) “from Beijing to Shanghai” 从cóng上Shàng海hǎi到dào北Běi京jīng (cóng Shàng​hǎi dào Běi​jīng)
这个	“this” (zhè​ge) 这zhè个ge (zhè​ge) can mean “this” or “this one”. A useful pair of characters for a beginner to remember are “this” or “this one” 这zhè个ge (zhè​ge) and “that” or “that one“ 那nà个ge (nà​ge)
地址	“address” (dì​zhǐ) Both characters mean “place” or “location”. This is the most common way to say “address” in Chinese. You will also come across the very common word 地dì方fāng (dì​fāng), which means “place”. Combining 这zhè个ge (zhè​ge), discussed above, and 地dì方fāng (dì​fāng) creates the phrase “this place” 这zhè个ge地dì方fāng (zhè​ge dì​fāng).

Okay
好吧。
shì de

好hǎo吧ba。. (hǎo ba.)

“yes, that’s right” (hǎo ba) 好hǎo (hǎo) means “good”. 吧ba (ba) is known as a particle, please check out our post on Chinese modal particles.

Is it very far?
很远吗？
hěn yuǎn ma?

很远	“very far“ (hěn yuǎn) Literally “very” 很hěn (hěn) and “far” 远yuǎn (yuǎn). 很hěn (hěn) is very common, for example – “very big” 很hěn大dà (hěn dà) – “very small” 很hěn小xiǎo (hěn xiǎo) The opposite of “far” 远yuǎn (yuǎn) is “close” 近jìn (jìn) e.g. – “very close” 很hěn近jìn (hěn jìn)
吗	<question> (ma) 吗ma (ma) (ma) is added to a statement to turn it into a yes/no question.

About 20 kilometers
大约二十公里。
dà​yuē èr​shí gōng​lǐ

大约	“approximately” (dà​yuē) 大dà约yuē (dà​yuē) and 大dà概gài (dà​gài) are both common way of saying ”approximately“ in Chinese and are reasonably interchangable: – “approximately how much?“ --大dà约yuē多duō少shǎo钱qián？? (- dà​yuē duō​shǎo qián?) – “approximately how much?“ --大dà概gài多duō少shǎo钱qián？? (- dà​gài duō​shǎo qián?)
二十	“20” (èr​shí) Chinese, like many languages, uses a “base ten” counting system, so numbers are comprised as they are in English. Here 二èr十shí (èr​shí) literally means “2” 二èr (èr) and “10” 十shí (shí), which means two tens, that is twenty. Check out our post on how to count in Chinese.
公里	“kilometers” (gōng​lǐ) 里lǐ (lǐ) is the character that means a Chinese mile. Although the exact distance has varied over time, the modern 里lǐ (lǐ) is 500 meters. Combined with 公gōng (gōng), meaning common, this takes on the meaning of kilometer. You can think of this as the “common Chinese mile”, as opposed to the traditional chinese mile of approximately 500 meters.

How long will it take me to get there?
到那里需要多长时间？
dào nà​li xū​yào duō cháng shí​jiān?

到	“arrive” (dào) One of the meanings of 到dào (dào) is arrive. For example “I’ve arrived (past tense)” is 我wǒ到dào了le (wǒ dào le)
那里	“there” (nà​li) By itself 那nà (nà) means “that” or “those”, however combined with 里lǐ (lǐ) creatse the word “there” 那nà里li (nà​li). Note also that you may here this said as 那nà里li (nà​li), which is more commonly used in mainland China.
需要	“needs” (xū​yào) Comprised of the characters meaning “to need” 需xū要yào (xū​yào) and “to want” 需xū要yào (xū​yào). Some examples: – “how much do they cost?” 它tā们men需xū要yào多duō少shǎo钱qián？? (tā​men xū​yào duō​shǎo qián?) – “I need you” 我wǒ需xū要yào你nǐ。. (wǒ xū​yào nǐ.)
多长时间	“how long“ (shí​jiān) This is made up “how long” 多duō长cháng (duō cháng) and “time” 时shí间jiān (shí​jiān), however this is a set phrase and you will most often see 多duō长cháng (duō cháng) followed by 时shí间jiān (shí​jiān). Examples: – “don’t have time” 没méi有yǒu时shí间jiān (méi​yǒu shí​jiān) – “how much time?” 多duō少shǎo时shí间jiān (duō​shǎo shí​jiān)

About half an hour.
半小时左右。
bàn​xiǎo​shí zuǒ​yòu

半小时	“half an hour” (bàn​xiǎo​shí) 半bàn小xiǎo时shí (bàn​xiǎo​shí) is the Chinese word for “half”, while 小xiǎo时shí (xiǎo​shí) is the word for “minute”, for example “give minutes” is 五wǔ小xiǎo时shí (wǔ xiǎo​shí). Check out our post on How to tell the time in Chinese.
左右	“more or less” (zuǒ​yòu)

Where are you from (what nationality are you)?
你是哪国人？
nǐ shì nǎ guó​rén

你	“you” (nǐ)
是	“are” (shì)
哪国人？	“what nationality” (nǎ guó​rén) Literally “which country people”. Here the character 国guó (guó) means “country”. You can find a list of country names in our post

Sorry, I don’t understand much Chinese.
我不太会说中文。
wǒ bù tài huì shuō Zhōng​wén

我	“I” (wǒ)
不太会	“not very well” (bù tài huì)
说	“speak” (shuō)
中文	“Chinese” (Zhōng​wén) This is one of several ways to say “Chinese” as in the Chinese language. Literally this means “Chinese” 中zhōng (zhōng) + “language” 文wén (wén). Other ways of saying Chinese are： – 普pǔ通tōng话huà (pǔ​tōng​huà), literally “common language” – 华Huá语yǔ (Huá​yǔ), literaly “chinese language” – 汉Hàn语yǔ (Hàn​yǔ), literall “Han (ethnicity) language), where Han’s are the largest ethnic group in China.

Arriving at your destination

We’ve arrived.
我们到了。
wǒ​men dào le

我们	“we” (wǒ​men) Here “we” is made up of the character for I 我wǒ (wǒ) and the plural character for pronouncs 们men (men). Similarly you can add to other pronouns: – “he” 他tā (tā) becomes “them” 他tā们men (tā​men) – “you (singular)” 你nǐ (nǐ) becomes “you (plural)” 你nǐ们men (nǐ​men)
	“<have> arrived” (dào le) 到dào (dào) can mean to arrive, to go to a place or even until. For example: – “I’ve arrived” 我wǒ到dào了le (wǒ dào le) – “from Beijing to Shanghai” 从cóng上Shàng海hǎi到dào北Běi京jīng (cóng Shàng​hǎi dào Běi​jīng) The addition of () makes this in the past tense, that is changing this from “to arrive” to mean “have already arrived”.

Please stop here.
请停在这里。
qǐng tíng zài zhè​lǐ

请	“please“ (qǐng)
停	“stop” (tíng) 停tíng (tíng) means stop or halt. To stop or park a car is 停tíng车chē (tíng​chē)
在这里	“here” (zài zhè​lǐ) Broken down this means “located” 在zài (zài) here 这zhè里lǐ (zhè​lǐ). You will also see 这zhè里lǐ (zhè​lǐ) written or said as 这zhè儿r (zhè​r), which is more common in mainland China.

How much is it?
多少钱?
duō​shǎo qián?

多少钱?	“how much“ (duō​shǎo qián?) This is the most common way of asking the price of an item in Chinese and is worth remembering.

100 Yuan.
一百钱
yī bǎi yuán

一百钱	“100 Yuan” (yī bǎi yuán) Please refer to our post on how to count in Chinese. Instead of 钱qián (qián), an altenrative way of saying the Chinese currency unit is 人rén民mín币bì (rén​mín​bì).

Do you take credit card?
你收信用卡吗?
nǐ​ shōu xìn​yòng​kǎ ma?

你	“you” (nǐ​)
收	“accept” (shōu) 收shōu (shōu) can mean to receive or accept. You may also see this written as 接jiē受shòu (jiē​shòu).
信用卡	“credit card” (xìn​yòng​kǎ) Check out our post on How to use your credit card for payment in Chinese

Of course.
当然可以。
dāng​rán kě​yǐ

当然	“of course” (dāng​rán) This is a very comon word, especially when paired to say “of course (you) can” 当dāng然rán可kě以yǐ (dāng​rán kě​yǐ)
可以	“can” (kě​yǐ)

May I have a receipt.
给我收据好吗？
gěi wǒ shōu​jù hǎo ma?

给我	“give me” (gěi wǒ)
收据	“receipt” (shōu​jù) It is important to remember the difference between a receipt, which is not an official tax invoice and a 发fā票piào (fā​piào) which is a tax invoice. If you need a tax invoice, ask for a 发fā票piào (fā​piào).
好吗？	“okay?” (hǎo ma) This is literally “good” 好hǎo (hǎo), followed by the Chinese particle used to indicate yes/no questions. Thus We are asking something like “is that okay?”, “alright?” or “good?”

Thank you, goodbye.
谢谢。再见。
xiè​xie. zài​jiàn.

谢谢	“thank you” (xiè​xie) This is the most common way of saying thank you in Chinese.
再见	“goodbye” (zài​jiàn) While you will find 再zài见jiàn (zài​jiàn) used in almost every Chinese textbook as the way to say goodbye, it is formal, and you will often hear Chinese say 拜bái拜bái (bái​bái), which is a loanword from “bye bye” in English.

Chinese Taxi Vocabulary

English	Chinese
taxi	出chū租zū车chē (chū​zū​chē)
taxi stand	出chū租zū车chē停tíng (chū​zū​chē tíng)
go	去qù (qù)
turn right	转zhuǎn右yòu (zhuǎn yòu)
turn left	转zhuǎn左zuǒ (zhuǎn zuǒ)
right side	右yòu边bian (yòu​bian)
left side	左zuǒ边bian (zuǒ​bian)
stop	停tíng (tíng)
address	地dì址zhǐ (dì​zhǐ)

Chinese Taxi Phrases

English	Chinese
Is there anyone who speaks English?	又yòu会huì说shuō英Yīng文wén的de人rén吗ma？? (yòu huì shuō Yīng​wén de rén ma?)
I speak a little	我wǒ会huì说shuō一yī点diǎn儿r (wǒ huì shuō yī​diǎn​r)
I’m sorry, I can’t speak Chinese	对duì不bu起qǐ，,我wǒ不bù会huì中Zhōng文wén (duì​bu​qǐ, wǒ bù​huì Zhōng​wén)
where is the taxi stand	出chū租zū车chē停tíng靠kào站zhàn在zài那nà里li？? (chū​zū​chē tíng​kào​zhàn zài nà​li?)
where do you want to go?	你nǐ去qù哪nǎ里lǐ？? (nǐ qù nǎ​lǐ?)
I’m going to…	我wǒ去qù。.。.。. (wǒ qù...)
Please call a taxi.	请qǐng替tì我wǒ叫jiào辆liàng出chū租zū车chē。. (qǐng tì wǒ jiào liàng chū​zū​chē.)
Please take me to this address.	请qǐng送sòng我wǒ到dào这zhè个ge地dì址zhǐ。. (qǐng sòng wǒ dào zhè​ge dì​zhǐ.)
Is it very far?	很hěn远yuǎn吗ma？? (hěn yuǎn ma?)
Is it far from here?	离lí这zhè里lǐ有yǒu多duō远yuǎn。. (lí zhè​lǐ yǒu duō yuǎn.)
Please take me to the train station.	请qǐng送sòng我wǒ到dào火huǒ车chē站zhàn。. (qǐng sòng wǒ dào huǒ​chē​zhàn.)
Could you please take me to this place?	请qǐng你nǐ送sòng我wǒ去qù这zhè个ge地dì方fāng好hǎo吗ma？? (qǐng nǐ sòng wǒ qù zhè​ge dì​fāng hǎo ma?)
How long will it take me to get there?	到dào那nà里li需xū要yào多duō长cháng时shí间jiān？? (dào nà​li xū​yào duō cháng shí​jiān?)
My Chinese is poor	我wǒ不bù太tài会huì说shuō中Zhōng文wén (wǒ bù tài huì shuō Zhōng​wén)