站

• Pinyin: zhàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 站 = 立 (stand) + 占 (occupy, phonetic) — a place where one stands and waits

Meaning

Station; stop. A place where buses, trains, or other transport vehicles stop.

As a noun, it refers to any kind of transport stop or station, such as 火车站 (train station), 公交站 (bus stop), or 地铁站 (metro station). Also used as a verb meaning 'to stand.' One of the first transport-related words learned in Chinese.

Examples

1. 火车站在哪里？ Where is the train station?
2. 下一站是北京。 The next stop is Beijing.
3. 我在公交站等你。 I'll wait for you at the bus stop.

Usage Guide

Context: transport, directions, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请问，地铁站怎么走？(Excuse me, how do I get to the metro station?)
• 我们在下一站下车。(We'll get off at the next stop.)

Don't Say

• 我去站。(Too vague — specify which station: 我去火车站 or 我去公交站)

Origin & History

Composed of 立 (to stand) + 占 (to occupy, phonetic). A place where people stand to wait — a station or stop.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal