司机
Traditional: 司機
sī jī HSK 3

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

司机开车很快。
Sījī kāichē hěn kuài.
The driver drives very fast.
他是出租车司机。
Tā shì chūzūchē sījī.
He is a taxi driver.
司机在等我们。
Sījī zài děng wǒmen.
The driver is waiting for us.
司机开车。
Sījī kāichē.
The driver drives the car.
他是司机。
Tā shì sījī.
He is a driver.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 司 (sī) as sounding like 'see' and 机 (jī) like 'gee' (as in 'gee, I'm driving!')—imagine a driver saying 'See? Gee, I'm good at this!' to remember the word for driver.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and used in both formal and informal contexts, as well as in spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly found in everyday situations like transportation, travel, and service industries.

📖 Grammar Points

司机 is typically used as a subject or object in sentences, often modified by nouns to specify the type of driver, e.g., 出租车司机 (taxi driver). It can also be part of compound nouns or appear in structures like 当司机 (to work as a driver).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, addressing a driver as 司机师傅 (sījī shīfu) adds respect and politeness, especially in service contexts. The term reflects the importance of professional roles in daily life and transportation systems.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar words include 驾驶员 (jiàshǐyuán), which is more formal and often used in legal or technical contexts, and 开车的人 (kāichē de rén), a casual phrase meaning 'person who drives.' 司机 is the standard, everyday term for a professional driver.

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