驾驶

• Pinyin: jià shǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 驾 = 加 (add) + 马 (horse), meaning to drive/harness; 驶 = 马 (horse) + 史 (history), meaning to sail/drive

Meaning

To drive; to pilot. Operating a vehicle or aircraft.

Formal term for driving any vehicle including cars, boats, and aircraft. More formal than 开车. Used in official contexts like licenses (驾驶证) and regulations. Can also be used metaphorically for controlling or steering.

Examples

1. 驾驶汽车时必须系好安全带，这是基本的安全要求。 When driving a car, you must wear a seatbelt; this is a basic safety requirement.
2. 他取得了飞机驾驶执照，实现了儿时的梦想。 He obtained a pilot's license and realized his childhood dream.
3. 酒后驾驶是严重的违法行为，会受到法律的严厉处罚。 Drunk driving is a serious illegal act and will be severely punished by law.

Usage Guide

Context: driving, legal, aviation, official

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 请出示您的驾驶证。(Please show your driver's license.)
• 他正在驾驶一辆黑色轿车。(He is driving a black sedan.)

Don't Say

• 我驾驶自行车去学校 (驾驶 is for motorized vehicles — for bicycles, use 骑)

Origin & History

Compound of 驾 (to harness, drive) + 驶 (to sail, drive), both originally related to controlling horses or vehicles.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal