驾车

• Pinyin: jià chē
• Hanzi breakdown: 驾 = 马 + 加 (horse + apply — to harness/drive); 车 = pictograph of a wheel/axle (vehicle)

Meaning

To drive a vehicle; driving. The act of operating a motor vehicle or animal-drawn carriage.

The standard written form for driving. More formal than the colloquial 开车. Appears in traffic regulations, official notices, news reports, and formal writing. Covers driving both ancient horse-drawn vehicles and modern motor vehicles.

Examples

1. 疲劳驾车是引发交通事故的重要原因之一，驾驶员应确保充足休息。 Drowsy driving is a major cause of traffic accidents, and drivers should make sure they get enough rest.
2. 他每天驾车往返于郊区住所和市中心办公室之间，通勤时间超过两小时。 He drives back and forth every day between his suburban home and his downtown office, with a commute of more than two hours.
3. 执法部门对酒后驾车行为实施了更为严格的抽查与处罚措施。 Law enforcement has carried out stricter spot checks and penalties for drunk driving.

Usage Guide

Context: traffic regulations, official notices, journalism, formal writing

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 长途驾车前要检查车况、规划路线，并留足休息时间，防止疲劳驾驶。(Before a long-distance drive, check the vehicle, plan the route, and leave enough time for rest to prevent drowsy driving.)
• 恶劣天气下驾车时，驾驶员要保持警觉，减速并拉开与前车的距离。(When driving in bad weather, drivers should stay alert, slow down, and increase the distance from the car ahead.)

Don't Say

• 驾车 is the standard written form for driving. In casual spoken Chinese, 开车 is far more natural. Avoid 驾车 in everyday conversation as it sounds overly formal; use 开车 instead.

Origin & History

驾 (to drive; to harness) + 车 (vehicle; car; carriage)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal