滴滴
dīdī
滴滴 (dīdī) is the Chinese term for Didi, a ride-hailing service and mobile app used to book taxis and private cars.
滴滴 refers to the ride-hailing platform. You can use the verb phrase 打滴滴 (dǎ dīdī) to express the action of hailing or taking a Didi car. While 滴滴 is the common shorthand, the full, formal name of the company is 滴滴出行 (Dīdī Chūxíng).
What does it mean word for word?
The name 滴滴 is an onomatopoeia that represents the sound of a car horn.
How do you pronounce it?
dīdī
Did you know?
- When using the verb phrase 打 (dǎ) in 打滴滴, you are technically using a word that means 'to hit' or 'to play', which is the standard way to express 'hailing' a service in modern Chinese.
- Beyond the car horn, 滴滴 is also the sound used to describe the notification pings of Tencent QQ, one of China's most famous instant messaging apps.
- In Chinese, the character 滴 (dī) literally means 'to drip' or 'a drop' of liquid, making the name a phonetic play on sounds rather than a literal description of transport.
Examples in context
- 我的弟弟今天过生日。(Wǒ de dìdi jīntiān guò shēngrì.)My younger brother is celebrating his birthday today.
- 嗨，小弟弟，你想一起去看电影吗？(Hāi, xiǎo dìdì, nǐ xiǎng yīqǐ qù kàn diànyǐng ma?)Hey little brother, do you want to go watch a movie together?
- 老弟，帮我个忙可以吗？(Lǎo dì, bāng wǒ gèmáng kěyǐ ma?)Hey buddy, can you do me a favor?
- 我用滴滴打车。Wǒ yòng Dīdī dǎchē.I use Didi to call a car.
- 你可以叫个滴滴吗？Nǐ kěyǐ jiào ge Dīdī ma?Can you call a Didi?
- 滴滴的车快到了。Dīdī de chē kuài dào le.The Didi car is arriving soon.
Example conversation
At a busy street corner, a woman asks a man to help her book a ride.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们可以打滴滴吗？Wǒmen kěyǐ dǎ Dīdī ma?Can we take a Didi?
- 梓涵 Zihan好啊，我来叫车。Hǎo a, wǒ lái jiào chē.Sure, let me call the car.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那辆滴滴的车在那边。Nà liàng Dīdī de chē zài nà biān.That Didi car is over there.
- 梓涵 Zihan看到了，我们走吧。Kàn dào le, wǒmen zǒu ba.I see it, let's go.
