车厢

• Pinyin: chē xiāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 车 = pictograph of a vehicle; 厢 = 厂 (shelter) + 相 (appearance, phonetic)

Meaning

Carriage; train car; railway coach. A compartment of a train or the body of a vehicle.

Most commonly used for train carriages but can also refer to subway cars, bus compartments, or the cargo area of trucks. Numbered in trains (e.g., 五号车厢).

Examples

1. 请前往五号车厢找你的座位。 Please go to carriage five to find your seat.
2. 这节车厢是餐车，可以买吃的。 This car is the dining car; you can buy food here.
3. 地铁车厢里挤满了上班的人。 The subway car was packed with commuters.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, trains, metro

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我的座位在第三车厢。(My seat is in carriage three.)
• 请不要在车厢内吸烟。(Please do not smoke in the carriage.)

Don't Say

• 汽车的车厢 (For cars, use 车身 or 车内 — 车厢 is mainly for trains, buses, and trucks)

Origin & History

Compound of 车 (vehicle) and 厢 (compartment, side room). 厢 originally meant a side building.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal