2 · 40 words

Travel and the hotel

Booking, checking in and out, passports, luggage and tickets.

Hotel and airport words are among the most fixed in Chinese, because they are printed on every sign and every booking. A hotel goes by three names that overlap — 酒店(jiǔdiàn), 宾馆(bīnguǎn) and the plainer 旅馆(lǚguǎn) — and 酒店(jiǔdiàn) has nothing to do with drink. Rooms are named by who sleeps in them: 单人间(dānrénjiān), 双人间(shuāngrénjiān). Many of these words are the formal ones of signs and announcements, like 到达(dàodá) for 到(dào).

The words

Verb (13)

旅行(lǚxíng)to travel; journeyVerb2

我们(wǒmen)打算(dǎsuàn)夏天(xiàtiān)去(qù)云南(Yúnnán)旅行(lǚxíng)。We’re planning to travel to Yunnan in the summer.

Close to 旅游(lǚyóu), which leans towards sightseeing for pleasure.

出国(chūguó)to go abroadVerb2

她(tā)明年(míngnián)要(yào)出国(chūguó)学习(xuéxí)。She’s going abroad to study next year.

回国(huíguó)to go back to one’s own countryVerb2

他(tā)下(xià)个(ge)月(yuè)回国(huíguó)。He’s going back to his country next month.

度假(dùjià)to go on holidayVerb2

他们(tāmen)一家(yìjiā)在(zài)海边(hǎibiān)度假(dùjià)。The whole family is on holiday by the sea.

入住(rùzhù)to check inVerb2

下午(xiàwǔ)两(liǎng)点(diǎn)以后(yǐhòu)可以(kěyǐ)入住(rùzhù)。You can check in after two in the afternoon.

退房(tuìfáng)to check outVerb2

明天(míngtiān)中午(zhōngwǔ)十二(shí'èr)点(diǎn)以前(yǐqián)要(yào)退房(tuìfáng)。You have to check out by twelve noon tomorrow.

往返(wǎngfǎn)to go there and back; return (ticket)Verb2

往返(wǎngfǎn)机票(jīpiào)比较(bǐjiào)便宜(piányi)。Return tickets are cheaper.

订(dìng)to book, reserve; to orderVerb2

我(wǒ)已经(yǐjīng)订好(dìnghǎo)酒店(jiǔdiàn)了(le)。I’ve already booked the hotel.

预订(yùdìng)to book in advance; bookingVerb2

我(wǒ)在(zài)网上(wǎngshàng)预订(yùdìng)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)双人间(shuāngrénjiān)。I booked a double room online.

More formal than 订(dìng).

取消(qǔxiāo)to cancelVerb2

我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)取消(qǔxiāo)明天(míngtiān)的(de)预订(yùdìng)。I’d like to cancel tomorrow’s booking.

出发(chūfā)to set off, departVerb2

我们(wǒmen)明天(míngtiān)早上(zǎoshang)六(liù)点(diǎn)出发(chūfā)。We set off at six tomorrow morning.

到达(dàodá)to arriveVerb2

飞机(fēijī)下午(xiàwǔ)三(sān)点(diǎn)到达(dàodá)上海(Shànghǎi)。The plane arrives in Shanghai at three in the afternoon.

More formal than 到(dào): on boards and in announcements.

登机(dēngjī)to board (a plane)Verb2

请(qǐng)在(zài)十二(shí'èr)号(hào)门(mén)登机(dēngjī)。Please board at gate twelve.

Noun (26)

假期(jiàqī)holiday, vacationNoun2

这次(zhècì)假期(jiàqī)你(nǐ)去(qù)哪儿(nǎr)玩儿(wánr)？Where are you going this holiday?

假(jià) is jià here; jiǎ means “false”.

当地(dāngdì)localNoun2

我们(wǒmen)想(xiǎng)尝(cháng)一下(yíxià)当地(dāngdì)的(de)小吃(xiǎochī)。We’d like to try the local snacks.

旅馆(lǚguǎn)hotel, innNoun2

这(zhè)家(jiā)旅馆(lǚguǎn)又(yòu)干净(gānjìng)又(yòu)便宜(piányi)。This hotel is both clean and cheap.

Measure word: 家(jiā). Usually smaller and simpler than a 酒店(jiǔdiàn).

酒店(jiǔdiàn)hotelNoun2

我们(wǒmen)住(zhù)的(de)酒店(jiǔdiàn)离(lí)火车站(huǒchēzhàn)很(hěn)近(jìn)。Our hotel is very close to the station.

Despite 酒(jiǔ), alcohol, it means a hotel, not a bar.

客人(kèrén)guest; visitorNoun2

今天(jīntiān)酒店(jiǔdiàn)的(de)客人(kèrén)很(hěn)多(duō)。The hotel has a lot of guests today.

住宿(zhùsù)accommodation; to stayNoun2

住宿(zhùsù)和(hé)早餐(zǎocān)一共(yígòng)三百(sānbǎi)块(kuài)。Accommodation and breakfast come to three hundred yuan altogether.

前台(qiántái)reception (desk)Noun2

有(yǒu)问题(wèntí)可以(kěyǐ)给(gěi)前台(qiántái)打电话(dǎdiànhuà)。If there’s a problem, you can ring reception.

单人间(dānrénjiān)single roomNoun2

我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)订(dìng)一(yí)个(ge)单人间(dānrénjiān)。I’d like to book a single room.

双人间(shuāngrénjiān)double room; twin roomNoun2

双人间(shuāngrénjiān)一(yì)晚(wǎn)多少(duōshao)钱(qián)？How much is a double room per night?

房卡(fángkǎ)key card (for a hotel room)Noun2

我(wǒ)把(bǎ)房卡(fángkǎ)忘(wàng)在(zài)房间(fángjiān)里(lǐ)了(le)。I left my key card in the room.

Measure word: 张(zhāng).

房费(fángfèi)room rate, price of a roomNoun2

房费(fángfèi)里(lǐ)包括(bāokuò)早餐(zǎocān)吗(ma)？Is breakfast included in the room rate?

早餐(zǎocān)breakfastNoun2

早餐(zǎocān)在(zài)一(yī)楼(lóu)，七(qī)点(diǎn)开始(kāishǐ)。Breakfast is on the ground floor and starts at seven.

More formal than 早饭(zǎofàn): on menus and in hotels.

服务(fúwù)service; to serveNoun2

这(zhè)家(jiā)酒店(jiǔdiàn)的(de)服务(fúwù)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。The service at this hotel is very good.

护照(hùzhào)passportNoun2

请(qǐng)给(gěi)我(wǒ)看(kàn)一下(yíxià)您(nín)的(de)护照(hùzhào)。May I see your passport, please?

Measure word: 本(běn).

签证(qiānzhèng)visaNoun2

去(qù)中国(Zhōngguó)需要(xūyào)签证(qiānzhèng)吗(ma)？Do you need a visa to go to China?

To apply for one: 办(bàn)签证(qiānzhèng).

海关(hǎiguān)customsNoun2

过(guò)海关(hǎiguān)的(de)时候(shíhou)要(yào)排队(páiduì)。You have to queue when you go through customs.

民宿(mínsù)guesthouse, homestay (in a private home)Noun2

这次(zhècì)我们(wǒmen)不(bú)住(zhù)酒店(jiǔdiàn)，住(zhù)民宿(mínsù)。This time we’re not staying in a hotel but in a guesthouse.

行李(xíngli)luggageNoun2

你(nǐ)带(dài)了(le)几(jǐ)件(jiàn)行李(xíngli)？How many pieces of luggage have you brought?

Measure word: 件(jiàn).

行李箱(xínglixiāng)suitcaseNoun2

这个(zhège)行李箱(xínglixiāng)太(tài)小(xiǎo)了(le)。This suitcase is too small.

背包(bēibāo)backpackNoun2

他(tā)只(zhǐ)带(dài)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)背包(bēibāo)。He only brought a backpack.

背(bēi) is bēi, to carry on the back.

机票(jīpiào)plane ticketNoun2

机票(jīpiào)越(yuè)早(zǎo)买(mǎi)越(yuè)便宜(piányi)。The earlier you buy plane tickets, the cheaper they are.

Measure word: 张(zhāng).

火车票(huǒchēpiào)train ticketNoun2

春节(Chūnjié)前(qián)火车票(huǒchēpiào)很(hěn)难(nán)买(mǎi)。Train tickets are hard to get before Spring Festival.

登机牌(dēngjīpái)boarding passNoun2

请(qǐng)拿好(náhǎo)您(nín)的(de)登机牌(dēngjīpái)。Please have your boarding pass ready.

Measure word: 张(zhāng).

座位(zuòwèi)seatNoun2

这个(zhège)座位(zuòwèi)有(yǒu)人(rén)吗(ma)？Is this seat taken?

旅客(lǚkè)traveller, passengerNoun2

各位(gèwèi)旅客(lǚkè)，飞机(fēijī)马上(mǎshàng)就(jiù)要(yào)起飞(qǐfēi)了(le)。Ladies and gentlemen, the plane will take off shortly.

The word of announcements; a sightseer is a 游客(yóukè).

小费(xiǎofèi)tip (money)Noun2

在(zài)中国(Zhōngguó)一般(yìbān)不用(búyòng)给(gěi)小费(xiǎofèi)。In China you don’t usually need to tip.

Place word (1)

国外(guówài)abroadPlace word2

你(nǐ)去(qù)过(guo)国外(guówài)吗(ma)？Have you ever been abroad?

This list belongs to Transport and travel — nine lists and 361 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.