出租车

• Pinyin: chū zū chē
• Hanzi breakdown: 出租 = to rent out; 车 = vehicle — literally a vehicle for hire

Meaning

Taxi; cab. A car available for hire to take passengers to their destination.

The standard term for taxi in Mandarin. In some regions, other words are used: 的士 (díshì, from English 'taxi') in southern China. The action of taking a taxi is commonly expressed as 打车 or 打的.

Examples

1. 我们打一辆出租车去火车站吧。 Let's take a taxi to the train station.
2. 这个城市的出租车不太贵。 Taxis in this city are not too expensive.
3. 出租车司机对这个城市很熟悉。 Taxi drivers are very familiar with this city.

Usage Guide

Context: transport, travel, commuting

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请帮我叫一辆出租车。(Please call a taxi for me.)
• 出租车来了，我们走吧。(The taxi is here — let's go.)

Don't Say

• 在日常口语中，可以简单说打车 — 出租车 is the full word for taxi, but in casual speech 打车 (to hail a cab) or 打的 is more commonly used for the action of taking one.

Origin & History

Compound of 出租 (to rent out) and 车 (vehicle). Literally a for-hire vehicle.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal