In this blog and video post, we teach some ways you can order a taxi in Chinese, as well as useful words for getting you where you wanna go.
First, let’s learn the word for a taxi.
Taxi (China)
出租车
chūzū chē
Taxi (Taiwan)
计程车
jìchéng chē
Taxi (TW slang)
小黃
xiǎo huáng
Some phrases for saying you’re gonna grab a taxi.
I’m currently in a taxi.
我正在坐出租车。
wǒ zhèngzài zuò chūzū chē
I’m about to get on a taxi.
我等一下要搭出租车。
wǒ děng yíxià yào dā chūzū chē.
Note, the verb here is specific to riding in things like taxies or boats and trains etc. You can also use the verb 叫 jiào which means to call a taxi.
Saying where you are to the driver.
Hello driver, I’m opposite the school.
司机你好，我在学校对面。
Sījī nǐ hǎo, wǒ zài xuéxiào duìmiàn.
Another word for a driver is 师傅 shīfu which is someone who is a master and/or specialized in something.
Useful place words
Use the structure above with these different place words. Just insert the landmark you’re at, followed by the place words below.
我在 [landmark]+[place word].
对面 duì miàn | opposite
旁边 pángbiān | next to
后面 hòumiàn | behind
路口 lùkǒu | intersection
出口 chūkǒu | exit (of a subway etc)
十字路口 shízìlù kǒu | crossroads “road that looks like the character 10″
巷口 xiàng kǒu | alley opening
门口 ménkǒu | entrance (of a hotel etc)
Some useful direction words to give the driver
直走 zhí zǒu ｜ keep going straight
左转 zuǒ zhuǎn | turn left
右转 yòu zhuǎn | turn right
继续走 jìxù zǒu | keep going
到底 dàodǐ | to the end
回头 huítóu | turn around
回转 huízhuǎn | turn around
回去 huíqù | go back
到了 dàole | we’ve arrived!
Stopping here is fine thanks.
停在这里就好了。
tíng zài zhèlǐ jiù hǎole.
Paying your fair
现金 Xiànjīn ｜ cash
信用卡 xìnyòngkǎ | credit card
刷卡 shuākǎ ｜ to use a credit card (or swipe card, smart card etc)
收據 shōujù | receipt; expense form
發票 fāpiào | invoice; receipt (from a shop etc)
Can I use a credit card?
请问可以用信用卡吗？
Qǐngwèn kěyǐ yòng xìnyòngkǎ ma?
Can I swipe my card?
可以刷卡吗？
Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?
We only accept cash.
我们只收现金。
Wǒmen zhǐ shōu xiànjīn.
Keep the change
不用找
búyòng zhǎo.
Misc
May I bring a pet?
请问可以带宠物吗?
qǐngwèn kěyǐ dài chǒngwù ma?
We hope you found some of these phrases useful. Be sure to check out the video above, and study the official deck over on Skritter.com to ensure you remember it long term!