上车

• Pinyin: shàng chē
• Hanzi breakdown: 上 = upward movement; 车 = simplified pictograph of a wheeled vehicle

Meaning

To get on a vehicle; to board. Used for getting into or onto any form of transport.

A verb-object compound used for boarding any vehicle — bus, car, train, etc. The opposite is 下车 (to get off a vehicle). Very common in daily transport situations. Can be separated by other elements, e.g. 上了车 (got on the vehicle).

Examples

1. 请大家快上车。 Everyone please get on the bus quickly.
2. 我们在这里上车。 We board here.
3. 他上车以后就睡着了。 He fell asleep after getting on the bus.

Usage Guide

Context: transport, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 快上车，要开了！(Get on quick, it's about to leave!)
• 请从前门上车。(Please board from the front door.)

Don't Say

• 我上了车汽车。(Redundant — 车 is already in 上车; just say 我上了车 or 我上了汽车)

Origin & History

A verb-object compound of 上 (to get on/go up) and 车 (vehicle), literally 'to go up onto a vehicle.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal