乘坐
chéng zuò HSK 4

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

我乘坐地铁去上班。
Wǒ chéngzuò dìtiě qù shàngbān.
I take the subway to work.
他们乘坐飞机去北京。
Tāmen chéngzuò fēijī qù Běijīng.
They ride a plane to Beijing.
请乘坐这辆公共汽车。
Qǐng chéngzuò zhè liàng gōnggòng qìchē.
Please take this bus.
我乘坐地铁。
Wǒ chéngzuò dìtiě.
I take the subway.
他乘坐飞机。
Tā chéngzuò fēijī.
He takes a plane.

💡 Memory Tip

Break the word down: 乘 (chéng) can mean 'to ride' or 'to multiply,' and 坐 (zuò) means 'to sit.' Think of it as 'ride-sit'—you sit down to ride a vehicle. Associate it with formal travel scenarios, like airport signs saying '乘坐巴士 (Take the bus).'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is relatively formal and is commonly used in written Chinese, official announcements, and polite spoken contexts (e.g., travel instructions). It is less common in casual, everyday conversation where simpler verbs like 坐 (zuò) are often preferred. Typical contexts include transportation guides, schedules, and formal invitations.

📖 Grammar Points

乘坐 is a transitive verb followed directly by the vehicle object (e.g., 乘坐飞机). It is often used in imperative or suggestive structures, like 请乘坐... (Please take...). It can also be part of serial verb constructions, e.g., 乘坐地铁去上班 (take the subway to go to work).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In China, 乘坐 is frequently seen in public service announcements promoting civilized behavior, such as 文明乘坐 (ride courteously). It reflects a polite, structured approach to public transportation, aligning with social norms of order and formality in official settings.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 坐 (zuò), which is more general and casual for 'to sit' or 'to ride,' 乘坐 is more formal and specific to vehicle travel. 搭乘 (dāchéng) is very similar in meaning and formality to 乘坐, often interchangeable, though 搭乘 can sometimes imply 'hitching a ride.'

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