预订

• Pinyin: yù dìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 预 = 予 + 页, in advance; 订 = 讠(speech) + 丁 (nail), to fix or agree upon

Meaning

To reserve; to book in advance. To arrange to have something (a table, room, ticket) held for you at a future time.

Used for restaurants, hotels, flights, events, and products. 预订 implies an agreement to purchase or use something in the future. Distinguish from 预定 (same pronunciation, slightly more formal, meaning to decide in advance or make a plan). In practice the two are often interchangeable.

Examples

1. 这家餐厅非常热门，建议提前一周打电话预订座位。 This restaurant is very popular — it is recommended to call a week in advance to reserve a table.
2. 他已经在网上预订了去上海的机票和酒店房间。 He has already booked his flight to Shanghai and a hotel room online.
3. 节假日出行旺季，交通和住宿最好提前预订，以免措手不及。 During peak holiday travel season, it is best to book transport and accommodation in advance to avoid being caught unprepared.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, dining, services

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我想预订一张明天下午两点的火车票。(I'd like to book a train ticket for tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock.)
• 餐厅的座位需要提前预订。(The restaurant seats need to be booked in advance.)

Don't Say

• 将'预订'用于无法事先安排的事情 (Don't use 预订 for things that cannot be arranged in advance — it specifically means booking or reserving something that requires an advance commitment)

Origin & History

A compound of 预 (in advance) and 订 (to fix/agree upon; 讠speech radical + 丁 nail, suggesting nailing down an agreement). Together they mean to fix an arrangement in advance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal