China's transportation infrastructure is world-class — high-speed rail, massive metro systems, and ride-hailing apps. This lesson covers asking for directions, navigating public transit, and getting around Chinese cities.
Estimated Time: 50–60 minutes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 左 | zuǒ | left |
| 右 | yòu | right |
| 前面 | qiánmiàn | in front / ahead |
| 后面 | hòumiàn | behind / back |
| 上面 | shàngmiàn | above / upstairs |
| 下面 | xiàmiàn | below / downstairs |
| 旁边 | pángbiān | beside / next to |
| 对面 | duìmiàn | across from / opposite |
| 附近 | fùjìn | nearby |
| 里面 | lǐmiàn | inside |
| 外面 | wàimiàn | outside |
| 东/南/西/北 | dōng/nán/xī/běi | east/south/west/north |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请问，...在哪儿？ | qǐngwèn, ...zài nǎr? | Excuse me, where is...? |
| 请问，怎么走？ | qǐngwèn, zěnme zǒu? | Excuse me, how do I get there? |
| 一直走 | yìzhí zǒu | go straight |
| 往左拐 | wǎng zuǒ guǎi | turn left |
| 往右拐 | wǎng yòu guǎi | turn right |
| 在路口 | zài lùkǒu | at the intersection |
| 过马路 | guò mǎlù | cross the street |
| 远不远？ | yuǎn bu yuǎn? | Is it far? |
| 走路多长时间？ | zǒulù duō cháng shíjiān? | How long on foot? |
| 离这儿近吗？ | lí zhèr jìn ma? | Is it close to here? |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 地铁 | dìtiě | subway/metro | Available in 40+ Chinese cities |
| 公交车 | gōngjiāo chē | public bus | Very cheap (usually 1-2 元) |
| 出租车 | chūzū chē | taxi | Also called 的士 (díshì) |
| 高铁 | gāotiě | high-speed rail | Up to 350 km/h! |
| 火车 | huǒchē | train | General term |
| 飞机 | fēijī | airplane | |
| 自行车 | zìxíngchē | bicycle | Shared bikes are everywhere |
| 电动车 | diàndòng chē | electric scooter/bike | Extremely common in cities |
| 滴滴 | Dīdī | DiDi (ride-hailing app) | China's Uber equivalent |
💡 Cultural Insight: China's 高铁 (high-speed rail) network is the world's largest, with over 42,000 km of track. A trip from Beijing to Shanghai (1,300 km) takes just 4.5 hours. Tickets are booked via the 12306 app or website. Always carry your passport — you need it to buy and board trains.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 地铁站 | dìtiě zhàn | metro station |
| 几号线 | jǐ hào xiàn | which line number |
| 换乘 | huànchéng | transfer (change lines) |
| 出口 | chūkǒu | exit |
| 入口 | rùkǒu | entrance |
| 下一站 | xià yí zhàn | next stop |
| 终点站 | zhōngdiǎn zhàn | terminal station |
| 请问，去...坐几号线？ | qǐngwèn, qù...zuò jǐ hào xiàn? | Which line goes to...? |
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 师傅，去...... | shīfu, qù... | Driver, go to... |
| 到了 | dào le | We've arrived |
| 停这儿 | tíng zhèr | Stop here |
| 大概多少钱？ | dàgài duōshao qián? | About how much? |
| 打表 | dǎ biǎo | Use the meter |
| 堵车 | dǔ chē | traffic jam |
Address taxi drivers as 师傅 (shīfu) — it literally means "master/teacher" and is a respectful term for skilled workers. It's also used for bus drivers, repairmen, and other service workers. Never use 先生 (Mr.) for a taxi driver.
A: 请问，地铁站在哪儿？(Qǐngwèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎr?) — Excuse me, where's the metro station?
B: 一直走，到路口往左拐。(Yìzhí zǒu, dào lùkǒu wǎng zuǒ guǎi.) — Go straight, turn left at the intersection.
A: 远吗？(Yuǎn ma?) — Is it far?
B: 不远，走路五分钟。(Bù yuǎn, zǒulù wǔ fēnzhōng.) — Not far, five minutes on foot.
A: 去天安门坐几号线？(Qù Tiān'ānmén zuò jǐ hào xiàn?) — Which line goes to Tiananmen?
B: 坐一号线。(Zuò yī hào xiàn.) — Take Line 1.
A: 谢谢！(Xièxie!) — Thanks!
1. How do you say "turn left" in Chinese?
2. What does 高铁 (gāotiě) refer to?
3. How should you address a taxi driver?
Direction words: 左 (left), 右 (right), 前面 (ahead), 后面 (behind), 旁边 (beside).
Asking directions: ...在哪儿？ (Where is...?) · 怎么走？ (How to get there?)
Transportation: 地铁 (metro), 公交车 (bus), 高铁 (high-speed rail), 滴滴 (DiDi).
Metro: 几号线 (which line), 换乘 (transfer), 出口 (exit).
Taxi: Call the driver 师傅 (shīfu), say 去... (go to...), 停这儿 (stop here).