客机

• Pinyin: kè jī
• Hanzi breakdown: 客 = passenger; 机 = 木 (wood) + 几 (small table)

Meaning

Passenger aircraft; airliner. A commercial airplane designed to carry passengers.

Distinguished from cargo planes (货机) and military aircraft. Commonly used in news reports about aviation and travel. Encompasses various sizes from regional jets to wide-body aircraft.

Examples

1. 一架客机在机场安全降落。 A passenger aircraft landed safely at the airport.
2. 这款新型客机可以容纳三百多名乘客。 This new airliner can accommodate over three hundred passengers.
3. 国产大客机的研发标志着航空工业的重大进步。 The development of domestically-produced large passenger aircraft marks a major advancement in the aviation industry.

Usage Guide

Context: aviation, travel, news

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 客机准点起飞了。(The passenger aircraft took off on time.)
• 这是一架波音客机。(This is a Boeing airliner.)

Don't Say

• 我坐客机去上班。(Don't use 客机 for general plane travel — just say 飞机; 客机 is more technical/specific)

Origin & History

Compound of 客 (passenger/guest) + 机 (machine/aircraft). Literally 'passenger machine.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal