How to take a taxi in China without speaking Chinese
- Book or hail
- Show the destination
- Manage the ride
- Pay by QR code
- Get a receipt if needed
Frequently Asked Questions
Do taxi drivers in China speak English?
Usually not. In tier-1 cities a few drivers know basic English words, but you should not count on conversation. The reliable strategy is to show, not speak: keep the destination address in Chinese on your phone, and use a handful of spoken phrases for the things an address can't cover — route, speed, stopping point, and payment.
How do I tell a Chinese taxi driver where to go?
Show the address written in Chinese characters on your phone and say "Wǒ yào qù zhèlǐ" (我要去这里 — I want to go here). Landmarks work better than street addresses in China: name the nearest metro station, hotel, or gate. If a driver asks "Qù nǎge mén?" (去哪个门？), he is asking which gate or entrance you want — big venues in China often have several.
How do I pay a taxi in China?
Scanning a QR code is the default — DiDi rides settle in-app automatically, and street taxis accept Alipay or WeChat Pay scan payment. Cash is legal but drivers rarely carry change for 100-yuan notes. Say "Wǒ sǎomǎ fù kěyǐ ma?" (我扫码付可以吗？) to confirm scan payment works.
What if the taxi driver takes a longer route?
Say "Qǐng àn dǎoháng de lùxiàn zǒu" (请按导航的路线走 — please follow the navigation route) early in the ride, with your own map app open. If you believe you are being taken the wrong way, "Nín zǒu cuò lù le" (您走错路了) means "you took the wrong road", and "Wǒ yào tóusù" (我要投诉) — I want to file a complaint — is the serious escalation. Always ask for the receipt ("fāpiào"), which shows the cab number.
Do these phrases work for DiDi too?
Yes — most DiDi drivers will call you at pickup, and the call happens in Chinese. The most useful line is "Wèi? Wǒ yǐjīng dào chéngchēdiǎn le" (喂？我已经到乘车点了 — hi, I'm at the pickup point, when will you get here?). The app's chat feature auto-translates, but speaking two or three of these phrases solves the pickup faster than typing.
Riding a taxi in China is where most foreigners have their first real conversation in Chinese — usually because it can’t be avoided. The DiDi app handles booking and payment, the fare is displayed on screen, and yet the ride still runs on spoken Chinese: the driver calls you at pickup, asks which gate you want, tells you to fasten your seatbelt, and confirms where to stop.
This page gives you the phrases for exactly those moments. Every phrase comes in three lines — Chinese characters, pinyin, and English — with a ▶ button that speaks it aloud through your phone. When words fail, hold up the screen and play it again. The phrase list follows the scenario structure in China’s official immigration handbook for foreigners (Chinese Handbook for International Visitors), filled out with the situations drivers and passengers actually run into.
If you want the full phrase set across all ten everyday scenarios — airport, hotel, hospital, restaurants — the Chinese phrasebook tool covers the short version, and this page is the deep version for rides.
The 10 taxi phrases you need right now
In a hurry? These ten cover 90% of a typical ride. Tap ▶ to hear each one.
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I want to go here. (show phone) | 我要去这里。 | Wǒ yào qù zhèlǐ. | |
| Please take me to the airport. | 请送我去机场。 | Qǐng sòng wǒ qù jīchǎng. | |
| Will you use the meter? | 是打表计费吗？ | Shì dǎbiǎo jìfèi ma? | |
| Please follow the navigation route. | 请按导航的路线走。 | Qǐng àn dǎoháng de lùxiàn zǒu. | |
| Please stop here. | 请在这里停车。 | Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē. | |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？ | Duōshǎo qián? | |
| Can I pay by scanning a QR code? | 我扫码付可以吗？ | Wǒ sǎomǎ fù kěyǐ ma? | |
| Please give me a receipt. | 请给我一张发票。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhāng fāpiào. | |
| I don’t understand. Please speak slowly. | 我听不懂，请说慢一点。 | Wǒ tīng bù dǒng, qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn. | |
| I’m in a hurry. Could you go a bit faster? | 我赶时间，可以快一点儿吗？ | Wǒ gǎn shíjiān, kěyǐ kuài yìdiǎnr ma? |
Telling the driver where to go
China runs on landmarks, not street numbers. Hotel names, metro stations, and gates (“Donghuamen”) get you there faster than a street address, which is why the official handbook’s very first taxi dialogue is a driver asking “which gate?” Start with the destination itself:
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello master, I’d like to go to the Forbidden City. | 师傅，您好！我要去故宫。 | Shīfu, nín hǎo! Wǒ yào qù Gùgōng. | |
| I want to go here. (show the address on your phone) | 我要去这里。 | Wǒ yào qù zhèlǐ. | |
| Please take me to this address. | 请送我去这个地址。 | Qǐng sòng wǒ qù zhège dìzhǐ. | |
| Please take me to the airport. | 请送我去机场。 | Qǐng sòng wǒ qù jīchǎng. | |
| Please take me to the train station. | 请送我去火车站。 | Qǐng sòng wǒ qù huǒchēzhàn. | |
| About how long will it take? | 大概需要多长时间？ | Dàgài xūyào duō cháng shíjiān? | |
| About how much will it cost? | 大概多少钱？ | Dàgài duōshǎo qián? | |
| Will you use the meter? | 是打表计费吗？ | Shì dǎbiǎo jìfèi ma? | |
| Please use the meter. | 请打表。 | Qǐng dǎbiǎo. |
“Shīfu” (师傅) — literally “master” — is the universal, polite way to address a driver in China. It works for taxi drivers, DiDi drivers, delivery riders, and bus drivers alike. Pairing it with a destination is the standard opening of every taxi conversation in the country.
If the driver asks “Qù nǎge mén?” (去哪个门？) — which gate? — he’s not lost. Large venues in China (palaces, parks, universities, convention centers) have multiple gates a kilometer apart, and the difference decides whether you walk five minutes or forty.
Pickup points and ride-hailing check-ins
DiDi has become the default way to get around Chinese cities, and it adds two mini-conversations a street taxi doesn’t have: the pickup call and the identity check.
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello? I’ve arrived at the pickup point. When will you get here? | 喂？我已经到乘车点了，您什么时候到？ | Wèi? Wǒ yǐjīng dào chéngchēdiǎn le, nín shénme shíhou dào? | |
| I’m arriving soon. Please wait a moment. | 我马上到，请等一下。 | Wǒ mǎshàng dào, qǐng děng yíxià. | |
| Could you drop my friend off at the train station first, then take me to the airport? | 先送我朋友去火车站，再送我去机场，可以吗？ | Xiān sòng wǒ péngyou qù huǒchēzhàn, zài sòng wǒ qù jīchǎng, kěyǐ ma? | |
| Can the suitcase go in the trunk? | 行李箱可以放后备箱吗？ | Xínglǐxiāng kěyǐ fàng hòubèixiāng ma? | |
| Please open the trunk for me. | 请帮我开一下后备箱。 | Qǐng bāng wǒ kāi yíxià hòubèixiāng. |
Two things you will hear drivers say, worth recognizing:
| You’ll hear | 中文 | Pinyin | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| ”What are the last four digits of your phone number?” | 手机尾号是多少？ | Shǒujī wěihào shì duōshǎo? | DiDi drivers verify it’s really you by asking for the last digits of the app-registered phone number |
| ”Please fasten your seatbelt.” | 请系好安全带。 | Qǐng jì hǎo ānquándài. | Standard; back-seat belts are also required in China |
On the way: speed, routes and stops
The ride itself needs maybe five phrases, and they solve the five things that actually go wrong: he’s driving the wrong way, the road is jammed, you’re about to miss a train, the AC is off, or you’ve reached the corner you actually wanted.
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please follow the navigation route. | 请按导航的路线走。 | Qǐng àn dǎoháng de lùxiàn zǒu. | |
| This route is too congested. Shall we take a different one? | 这条路线太堵了，我们换一条路吧？ | Zhè tiáo lùxiàn tài dǔ le, wǒmen huàn yì tiáo lù ba? | |
| You took the wrong road. | 您走错路了。 | Nín zǒu cuò lù le. | |
| I’m in a hurry. Could you go a bit faster? | 我赶时间，可以快一点儿吗？ | Wǒ gǎn shíjiān, kěyǐ kuài yìdiǎnr ma? | |
| Please drive a bit slower. | 请开慢一点儿。 | Qǐng kāi màn yìdiǎnr. | |
| Please turn on the air conditioning. | 请开一下空调。 | Qǐng kāi yíxià kōngtiáo. | |
| Highway or city streets? | 走高速还是走市区？ | Zǒu gāosù háishì zǒu shìqū? | |
| Who pays the highway toll? | 高速费谁出？ | Gāosù fèi shéi chū? | |
| Please let me know when we arrive. | 到了请叫我。 | Dào le qǐng jiào wǒ. | |
| Please wait for me a moment, I’ll be right back. | 请等我一下，我马上回来。 | Qǐng děng wǒ yíxià, wǒ mǎshàng huílái. | |
| You can stop here, thank you. | 这里停就可以了，谢谢。 | Zhèlǐ tíng jiù kěyǐ le, xièxie. | |
| Please stop here. | 请在这里停车。 | Qǐng zài zhèlǐ tíngchē. |
The highway question is worth asking before long airport trips: the toll (usually ¥10–30) is added on top of the fare, and drivers default to whatever route the app picked. If your map shows two options, “zǒu gāosù háishì zǒu shìqū?” settles it in one sentence.
Paying: QR codes, cash and receipts
By the time you pay, the hardest part is over — the meter or app shows the amount, and mobile payment settles it in seconds. Street taxis take Alipay and WeChat Pay scan payment; some also take cash, though drivers rarely carry change for large notes.
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | 多少钱？ | Duōshǎo qián? | |
| Can I pay by scanning a QR code? | 我扫码付可以吗？ | Wǒ sǎomǎ fù kěyǐ ma? | |
| Please scan my payment code. | 请扫我的付款码。 | Qǐng sǎo wǒ de fùkuǎnmǎ. | |
| Can I pay cash? | 可以付现金吗？ | Kěyǐ fù xiànjīn ma? | |
| Please give me a receipt (official invoice). | 请给我一张发票。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yì zhāng fāpiào. | |
| Please give me the small printed slip. | 请给我小票。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ xiǎopiào. |
The fāpiào (发票) is China’s official tax invoice — taxis print it from a machine next to the steering wheel in seconds. Beyond expense reports, it matters for complaints: the slip shows the cab company and car number, which is exactly what you need if something goes wrong and you need to report the ride.
When something goes wrong
Lost phone in the back seat, a fare that keeps climbing, a driver who won’t accept your route — these phrases are rare-league but worth the thirty seconds to learn where they are on this page.
| English | 中文 | Pinyin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I left my phone in the car. | 我把手机落在车上了。 | Wǒ bǎ shǒujī là zài chē shàng le. | |
| I left my luggage in the car. | 我把行李落在车上了。 | Wǒ bǎ xínglǐ là zài chē shàng le. | |
| My luggage is missing. What should I do? | 我的行李丢了，怎么办？ | Wǒ de xínglǐ diū le, zěnme bàn? | |
| I don’t understand. Please speak slowly. | 我听不懂，请说慢一点。 | Wǒ tīng bù dǒng, qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn. | |
| Please write it down. | 请写下来。 | Qǐng xiě xiàlái. | |
| I need translation help. Is there an English-speaking staff member? | 我需要翻译帮助，有英文服务人员吗？ | Wǒ xūyào fānyì bāngzhù, yǒu Yīngwén fúwù rényuán ma? | |
| I want to file a complaint. | 我要投诉。 | Wǒ yào tóusù. |
For DiDi disputes, the in-app customer service handles the formal complaint in English — “wǒ yào tóusù” is for street taxis, where the receipt plus the car number is your trail.
Two real taxi conversations
Getting to the right gate (from the official handbook):
You: Shīfu, nín hǎo! Wǒ yào qù Gùgōng. 师傅，您好！我要去故宫。 (Hello Sir! I’d like to go to the Forbidden City.)
Driver: Qù nǎge mén? 去哪个门？ (Which gate?)
You: Dàjiā yìbān zài nǎlǐ xià chē? 大家一般在哪里下车？ (Where do people usually get off?)
Driver: Dōnghuámén, nàr lí Wǔmén hěn jìn. 东华门，那儿离午门很近。 (Donghua Gate — it’s close to the Meridian Gate.)
The DiDi pickup call (also from the official handbook):
Driver: Shǒujī wěihào? 手机尾号？ (Last digits of your phone number?)
You: 0761. (Zero seven six one.)
Driver: Qǐng jì hǎo ānquándài. 请系好安全带。 (Please fasten your seatbelt.)
You: Hòupái yě yào jì ānquándài ma? 后排也要系安全带吗？ (Do I need the seatbelt in the back too?)
Driver: Shì de. 是的。 (Yes, you do.)
Notice how short these are — two to four exchanges each. Taxi Chinese is one of the most learnable slices of the language precisely because the conversation is so predictable.
Taxi vocabulary worth recognizing
The official handbook’s taxi vocabulary list — these words show up on signs, in app menus, and in driver small talk:
| 中文 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 打车 | dǎchē | take a taxi |
| 叫车 | jiàochē | book a ride-hailing car |
| 打表 | dǎbiǎo | use the meter |
| 乘车点 | chéngchēdiǎn | pickup point |
| 路线 | lùxiàn | route |
| 安全带 | ānquándài | seatbelt |
| 投诉 | tóusù | file a complaint |
| 高速费 | gāosù fèi | highway toll |
Do you even need Chinese for taxis?
Honestly — less and less. DiDi translates chat messages, the fare is computed by app, and drivers in tier-1 cities are used to foreigners. But the cases where phrases still decide the ride are common: the pickup call you can’t type fast enough, the gate question, the meter on a rainy-night street hail, the airport route where the toll decision is yours. Ten phrases from the quick table above cover those; the rest of this page is there when the ride gets interesting.
For the same treatment of other everyday scenarios — checking into hotels, ordering food, seeing a doctor — start at the Survival Chinese phrases hub, or practice the short universal set in the Chinese phrasebook.