Chinese Vocabulary for: Taking a taxi / Didi
Taking a taxi or Didi in Mandarin is essential for getting around cities. This page covers the vocabulary and sentences you need to tell the driver your destination, ask about price or meter, and handle common situations like 'please turn on the AC' or 'stop here.' The content is aimed at A2–B2 learners and HSK 3–6, so you get real-life phrases that drivers actually use. Pair this with example sentences and spaced repetition so the words stick when you need them.
When you'd use this
Use this when hailing a taxi or using Didi: telling the driver where to go, asking to stop, confirming the fare, or saying 'turn on the AC' or 'I'm in a hurry.'
Key vocabulary
- 出租车chū zū chē• taxi
- 滴滴dī dī• Didi (ride-hail app)
- 目的地mù dì dì• destination
- 请到qǐng dào• please take me to
- 停这里tíng zhè lǐ• stop here
- 打表dǎ biǎo• use the meter
- 多少钱duō shǎo qián• how much
- 开空调kāi kōng tiáo• turn on AC
- 慢一点màn yī diǎn• a bit slower
- 赶时间gǎn shí jiān• in a hurry
- 到了dào le• we're here / arrived
- 找零zhǎo líng• change
- 扫码sǎo má• scan (QR) to pay
- 师傅shī fu• driver (polite)
Example sentences
师傅，请到机场。
Shī fu, qǐng dào jī chǎng.
Driver, please take me to the airport.
请停这里。
Qǐng tíng zhè lǐ.
Please stop here.
打表吗？
Dǎ biǎo ma?
Do you use the meter?
可以开空调吗？
Kě yǐ kāi kōng tiáo ma?
Can you turn on the AC?
我赶时间，麻烦快一点。
Wǒ gǎn shí jiān, má fan kuài yī diǎn.
I'm in a hurry, please go a bit faster.
到了，多少钱？
Dào le, duō shǎo qián?
We're here. How much?
Common mistakes / natural phrasing
Calling the driver '师傅' is polite and common. '打表' means using the meter; if you ask '打表吗？' you're asking if they'll use it. '到了' can mean 'we've arrived' (from driver) or 'we're here' (you telling them to stop).
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