Chinese for Travel
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Unit 4 · Taxi Lesson 24 7 min Premium in the app

Ride-hailing pickup in Chinese

Communicate with a ride-hailing driver about pickup point, exact location, waiting, wrong location, phone calls, and finding the car. Chengdu East Station, just off the train. The app's pin has put you on the wrong side of the building.

叫车

Key phrases

The 6 phrases this lesson is built around, with the words that make them up. Tap ▶ to listen, or the turtle to hear it slowly.

  • 请问上车点在哪里？

    Qǐngwèn shàngchē diǎn zài nǎlǐ?

    Excuse me, where is the pickup point?

    • 请问Qǐngwèn
    • 上车shàngchē
    • 点diǎn
    • 在zài
    • 哪里nǎlǐ

  • 我的定位可能不准。

    Wǒ de dìngwèi kěnéng bù zhǔn.

    My location may not be accurate.

    • 我Wǒ
    • 的de
    • 定位dìngwèi
    • 可能kěnéng
    • 不bù
    • 准zhǔn

  • 我在地铁站出口。

    Wǒ zài dìtiězhàn chūkǒu.

    I am at the subway station exit.

    • 我Wǒ
    • 在zài
    • 地铁站dìtiězhàn
    • 出口chūkǒu

  • 我找不到您的车。

    Wǒ zhǎo bú dào nín de chē.

    I cannot find your car.

    • 我Wǒ
    • 找zhǎo
    • 不bú
    • 到dào
    • 您nín
    • 的de
    • 车chē

  • 请问您的车牌号是多少？

    Qǐngwèn nín de chēpái hào shì duōshǎo?

    Excuse me, what is your license plate number?

    • 请问Qǐngwèn
    • 您nín
    • 的de
    • 车牌chēpái
    • 号hào
    • 是shì
    • 多少duōshǎo

  • 请等我一下。

    Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià.

    Please wait for me a moment.

    • 请Qǐng
    • 等děng
    • 我wǒ
    • 一下yíxià

More phrases for this situation

Every other phrase from the lesson: 17 in all.

  • 您好，我叫了网约车。

    Nínhǎo, wǒ jiào le wǎngyuēchē.

    Hello, I ordered a ride-hailing car.

  • 我在上车点。

    Wǒ zài shàngchē diǎn.

    I am at the pickup point.

  • 我在门口等您。

    Wǒ zài ménkǒu děng nín.

    I am waiting for you at the entrance.

  • 我在路边等您。

    Wǒ zài lùbiān děng nín.

    I am waiting for you by the roadside.

  • 我在出口等您。

    Wǒ zài chūkǒu děng nín.

    I am waiting for you at the exit.

  • 我在酒店门口。

    Wǒ zài jiǔdiàn ménkǒu.

    I am at the hotel entrance.

  • 我看到很多车，找不到您。

    Wǒ kàndào hěn duō chē, zhǎo bú dào nín.

    I see many cars and cannot find you.

  • 请给我打电话。

    Qǐng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.

    Please call me.

  • 我听不懂电话，可以发消息吗？

    Wǒ tīng bù dǒng diànhuà, kěyǐ fā xiāoxi ma?

    I cannot understand calls. Can you send a message?

  • 我马上到。

    Wǒ mǎshàng dào.

    I will be there right away.

  • 请不要取消订单。

    Qǐng bú yào qǔxiāo dìngdān.

    Please do not cancel the order.

  • 我可以取消订单吗？

    Wǒ kěyǐ qǔxiāo dìngdān ma?

    Can I cancel the order?

  • 这里不能停车吗？

    Zhèlǐ bù néng tíngchē ma?

    Can cars not stop here?

  • 请告诉我在哪里上车比较方便。

    Qǐng gàosu wǒ zài nǎlǐ shàngchē bǐjiào fāngbiàn.

    Please tell me where it is more convenient to get in.

  • 我穿着黑色外套。

    Wǒ chuānzhe hēisè wàitào.

    I am wearing a black jacket.

  • 请帮我写下来。

    Qǐng bāng wǒ xiě xiàlái.

    Please write it down for me.

  • 谢谢您的帮助。

    Xièxie nín de bāngzhù.

    Thank you for your help.

What you’ll hear, and how to answer

Staff won’t follow your script. These are things they are likely to say here, with a reply that works.

  1. Staff

    我到了，您人在哪里？

    Wǒ dào le, nín rén zài nǎlǐ?

    I'm here. Where are you?

    You

    我在地铁站出口。

    Wǒ zài dìtiězhàn chūkǒu.

    I am at the subway station exit.

  2. Staff

    这里不让停，您到对面来。

    Zhèlǐ bú ràng tíng, nín dào duìmiàn lái.

    I can't stop here. Come over to the other side.

    You

    请等我一下。

    Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià.

    Please wait for me a moment.

Play the scene

Chengdu East Station, just off the train. The app's pin has put you on the wrong side of the building.

成都东站 · Chengdu East Station

  1. Staff

    我到了，您人在哪里？

    Wǒ dào le, nín rén zài nǎlǐ?

    I'm here. Where are you?

  2. You

    我在地铁站出口。

    Wǒ zài dìtiězhàn chūkǒu.

    I am at the subway station exit.

  3. Staff

    这里不让停，您到对面来。

    Zhèlǐ bú ràng tíng, nín dào duìmiàn lái.

    I can't stop here. Come over to the other side.

  4. You

    请等我一下。

    Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià.

    Please wait for me a moment.

  5. Staff

    我在路边，打着双闪。

    Wǒ zài lùbiān, dǎzhe shuāngshǎn.

    I'm at the roadside with my hazard lights on.

  6. You

    我找不到您的车。

    Wǒ zhǎo bú dào nín de chē.

    I cannot find your car.

  7. Staff

    车牌尾号是三七。

    Chēpái wěihào shì sān qī.

    The plate ends in 37.

  8. You

    我穿着黑色外套。

    Wǒ chuānzhe hēisè wàitào.

    I am wearing a black jacket.

Culture tip

Use clear landmarks

Entrances, exits, hotel doors, subway exits, and roadside locations are easier for drivers to find than vague GPS points.

Which phrase means “My location may not be accurate”?

Show the answer

我的定位可能不准。 — My location may not be accurate.

Go deeper

Background for this situation: key words, what to expect and a few more short dialogues.

Key Ride-Hailing Terms

网约车 Ride-hailing car ordered through an app. It is different from hailing a street taxi.

您好，我叫了网约车。 Nínhǎo, wǒ jiào le wǎngyuēchē. Hello, I ordered a ride-hailing car.

上车点 Pickup point. This is the place where the driver expects you to get in.

请问上车点在哪里？ Qǐngwèn shàngchē diǎn zài nǎlǐ? Excuse me, where is the pickup point?

定位 Location positioning in an app. Sometimes it may be inaccurate near tall buildings, stations, malls, or airports.

我的定位可能不准。 Wǒ de dìngwèi kěnéng bù zhǔn. My location may not be accurate.

门口 / 出口 / 路边 Entrance, exit, and roadside. These are simple location words useful for meeting your driver.

我在门口等您。 Wǒ zài ménkǒu děng nín. I am waiting for you at the entrance.

订单 Order or booking in a ride-hailing app. Drivers and passengers may refer to the ride as an order.

请不要取消订单。 Qǐng bú yào qǔxiāo dìngdān. Please do not cancel the order.

车牌号 License plate number. Use it to identify the correct car when there are many cars around.

请问您的车牌号是多少？ Qǐngwèn nín de chēpái hào shì duōshǎo? Excuse me, what is your license plate number?

Pickup Communication Flow

Step 1: Confirm the pickup point

Ask 请问上车点在哪里？ or tell the driver 我在上车点.

Step 2: Correct inaccurate location

If the app location is wrong, say 我的定位可能不准 and describe your real location clearly.

Step 3: Give a landmark

Use simple landmarks such as hotel entrance, subway exit, entrance, exit, or roadside.

Step 4: Find the driver or car

If there are many cars, ask for the license plate number, ask the driver to call, or describe your clothing.

Step 5: Handle waiting or cancellation

If you are close, say 请等我一下 or 我马上到. If needed, discuss cancellation politely.

Useful Pickup Patterns

我在…… Use this to tell the driver where you are.

我在酒店门口。 Wǒ zài jiǔdiàn ménkǒu. I am at the hotel entrance.

找不到…… Use this when you cannot find the driver, car, entrance, or pickup point.

我找不到您的车。 Wǒ zhǎo bú dào nín de chē. I cannot find your car.

请…… Use this to politely ask the driver to wait, call, send a message, or tell you where to get in.

请等我一下。 Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià. Please wait for me a moment.

可以……吗？ Use this to ask whether an action is possible, such as sending a message, cancelling, or stopping.

我可以取消订单吗？ Wǒ kěyǐ qǔxiāo dìngdān ma? Can I cancel the order?

Location Tips

Use clear landmarks

Entrances, exits, hotel doors, subway exits, and roadside locations are easier for drivers to find than vague GPS points.

Busy pickup points

At stations, malls, airports, or attractions, many cars may look similar. Confirm license plate and car color carefully.

No-stopping areas

Some entrances or roads do not allow stopping. Ask the driver where it is more convenient to get in.

Phone and Message Tips

Ask for a call

If you cannot find the car, ask the driver to call you so you can coordinate in real time.

Use messages if calls are hard

If you cannot understand spoken Chinese on the phone, ask the driver to send a message instead.

Describe yourself

In crowded places, tell the driver what you are wearing, such as 我穿着黑色外套.

Interactive Scenarios

Location is inaccurate

  • Traveler我的定位可能不准。

    Wǒ de dìngwèi kěnéng bù zhǔn.

    My location may not be accurate.

  • Traveler我在酒店门口。

    Wǒ zài jiǔdiàn ménkǒu.

    I am at the hotel entrance.

  • Traveler请告诉我在哪里上车比较方便。

    Qǐng gàosu wǒ zài nǎlǐ shàngchē bǐjiào fāngbiàn.

    Please tell me where it is more convenient to get in.

Cannot find the car

  • Traveler我看到很多车，找不到您。

    Wǒ kàndào hěn duō chē, zhǎo bú dào nín.

    I see many cars and cannot find you.

  • Traveler请问您的车牌号是多少？

    Qǐngwèn nín de chēpái hào shì duōshǎo?

    Excuse me, what is your license plate number?

  • Traveler请给我打电话。

    Qǐng gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.

    Please call me.

Asking driver to wait

  • Traveler请等我一下。

    Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià.

    Please wait for me a moment.

  • Traveler我马上到。

    Wǒ mǎshàng dào.

    I will be there right away.

  • Traveler请不要取消订单。

    Qǐng bú yào qǔxiāo dìngdān.

    Please do not cancel the order.

Mini Quiz

How do you say “I am at the pickup point”?
  • 我在上车点。 ✓ Answer
  • 我在售票处。
  • 我在行李处。
Which phrase means “My location may not be accurate”?
  • 我的定位可能不准。 ✓ Answer
  • 我的车牌可能不准。
  • 我的地址可能很贵。
How do you ask the driver to call you?
  • 请给我打电话。 ✓ Answer
  • 请给我开发票。
  • 请给我看地图。
Which phrase asks the driver not to cancel the order?
  • 请不要取消订单。 ✓ Answer
  • 请不要开太快。
  • 请不要走高速。

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