座位

• Pinyin: zuò wèi
• Hanzi breakdown: 座 = 广 (shelter) + 坐 (to sit); 位 = 亻 (person) + 立 (to stand), meaning 'position'

Meaning

Seat; place to sit. A designated place for sitting in a venue or vehicle.

Used for seats in classrooms, theatres, buses, trains, restaurants, and other venues. A very practical everyday word. In China, assigned seating in schools is common, making this word frequently heard in classroom settings.

Examples

1. 请坐在自己的座位上。 Please sit in your own seat.
2. 这里还有空的座位吗？ Are there any empty seats here?
3. 他的座位在窗户旁边。 His seat is next to the window.

Usage Guide

Context: transport, school, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请回到你的座位。(Please go back to your seat.)
• 我帮你找一个座位。(I'll find a seat for you.)

Don't Say

• 我坐了座位。(This sounds redundant — just say 我坐下了 (I sat down) or 我找到座位了 (I found a seat).)

Origin & History

Compound of 座 (seat/base) and 位 (position/place), literally 'seat position.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal