4 · 40 words
Trains and planes
Flights, high-speed trains, delays and the business of changing a ticket.
Long journeys in China today mostly mean a high-speed train or a plane, and both come with words of their own. Two verbs are worth learning together: 改签is changing a ticket to another train or flight退票handing it back for a refund A delay is 晚点 in everyday speech and 延误 on the departures board.
The words
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Verb (15)
起飞to take offVerb3
飞机马上就要起飞了，请关掉手机。The plane is about to take off; please switch off your phones.
降落to landVerb4
飞机降落的时候我的耳朵很疼。My ears hurt when the plane came in to land.
延误to be delayedVerb4
因为大雾，很多航班都延误了。Because of thick fog, many flights were delayed.
推迟to postpone, to put offVerb4
因为下大雪，我们把旅行推迟到下个月了。Because of the heavy snow, we put the trip off until next month.
改签to change (a ticket) to another departureVerb4
会议推迟了，我只好把车票改签到明天。The meeting was postponed, so I had to change my train ticket to tomorrow.
退票to return a ticket (for a refund)Verb4
计划变了，我得去退票。Our plans have changed, so I need to get the tickets refunded.
Separable: 退了两张票.
托运to check in (luggage)Verb4
这个大箱子得托运，不能带上飞机。This big suitcase has to be checked in; you can’t take it on the plane.
检票to check ticketsVerb4
火车开始检票了，我们去排队吧。They’ve started checking tickets for the train — let’s go and queue.
乘坐to travel by, to ride inVerb4
欢迎乘坐本次列车。Welcome aboard this train.
The formal word of announcements and tickets; in speech 坐.
转机to change planesVerb4
去那儿没有直飞的航班，要在上海转机。There’s no direct flight there; you have to change planes in Shanghai.
换乘to change (lines, trains)Verb4
坐地铁到机场要换乘两次。Going to the airport by underground, you have to change twice.
直达to go direct, non-stopVerb4
这趟车直达广州，中间不停。This train goes direct to Guangzhou without stopping.
赶to rush (to catch)Verb4
我们打车去机场，还来得及赶飞机。If we take a taxi to the airport, we can still make the flight.
错过to miss (a train, a chance)Verb3
路上堵车，我差点儿错过了火车。There was a traffic jam on the way and I nearly missed the train.
超重to be overweight (of luggage)Verb4
你的行李超重了，要多付钱。Your luggage is overweight; you’ll have to pay extra.
Noun (23)
高铁high-speed railNoun4
坐高铁从北京到上海只要几个小时。By high-speed train, Beijing to Shanghai takes only a few hours.
动车fast train (slower than high-speed)Noun4
动车比高铁慢一点儿，票也便宜一些。The fast trains are a little slower than the high-speed ones, and the tickets are a bit cheaper.
航班flightNoun4
我的航班是明天早上八点的。My flight is at eight tomorrow morning.
航空aviation, air (travel)Noun4
这家航空公司的服务很好。This airline has very good service.
机舱cabin (of a plane)Noun4
飞机起飞以后，机舱里的灯暗了下来。After take-off, the lights in the cabin were dimmed.
候机厅departure loungeNoun4
候机厅里有很多商店和饭馆。The departure lounge has lots of shops and restaurants.
候车室waiting room (at a station)Noun4
离发车还有一个小时，我们先在候车室坐一会儿吧。There’s an hour before the train leaves; let’s sit in the waiting room for a while.
安检security checkNoun4
过安检的时候要把水拿出来。At the security check you have to take out any water you are carrying.
登机口boarding gateNoun4
我们的登机口改了，得赶快过去。Our gate has changed; we’ll have to hurry over.
乘务员attendant (on a train or plane)Noun4
乘务员给每位乘客送了一瓶水。The attendant gave each passenger a bottle of water.
车厢carriage (of a train)Noun4
我们的座位在五号车厢。Our seats are in carriage number five.
头等舱first class (on a plane)Noun4
头等舱的座位又宽又舒服，可是太贵了。First-class seats are wide and comfortable, but far too expensive.
卧铺sleeper berthNoun4
坐夜车最好买卧铺，可以躺着睡。On a night train it’s best to buy a sleeper, so you can lie down to sleep.
过道aisle, corridorNoun4
你要靠窗的还是靠过道的？Would you like a window seat or an aisle seat?
站台platformNoun4
火车从三号站台出发。The train leaves from platform three.
售票处ticket officeNoun4
售票处前面排着长队。There is a long queue in front of the ticket office.
车次train numberNoun4
买票的时候要看清楚车次和时间。When buying a ticket, check the train number and the time carefully.
时刻表timetableNoun4
新的列车时刻表下个月开始用。The new train timetable comes into use next month.
硬座hard seat (on a train)Noun4
上大学的时候我坐过二十个小时的硬座。When I was at university I once sat on a hard seat for twenty hours.
单程one-way, singleNoun4
单程票三百块，来回五百块。A single is three hundred yuan, a return five hundred.
经济舱economy classNoun4
经济舱的座位有点儿挤。The seats in economy are a bit cramped.
轮船steamer, passenger shipNoun4
我们坐轮船从上海去了一个小岛。We took a boat from Shanghai to a small island.
Measure word: 艘.
终点站terminus, last stopNoun4
我在车上睡着了，一直坐到了终点站。I fell asleep on the bus and rode all the way to the last stop.
Adjective (2)
准点on timeAdjective4
这趟车一般都很准点。This train is usually right on time.
Measure word for a train or bus service: 趟.
随身carried on one’s personAdjective4
护照一定要随身带着。Always keep your passport on you.
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.