校车
xiaoche
The English phrase "school bus" is translated into Chinese as 校车 (xiaoche).
校车 refers to the transport used specifically for schoolchildren.
Meaning: transport for schoolchildren (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 校 (xiào), meaning school and 车 (chē), meaning vehicle.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, 校車 is the term for school bus.
How do you pronounce it?
xiaoche
Did you know?
- The character 车 (chē) is a pictograph that originally depicted a chariot with two wheels and a axle.
- Chinese parents often use the term 接孩子 (jiē háizi), meaning 'picking up the child', as a shorthand for the entire school bus routine.
- While 校车 is used in Hong Kong, the region also uses the English phrase 'school bus' in daily Cantonese conversation due to colonial influence.
Examples in context
- 今天我坐学校巴士去上学。Today, I took a school bus to go to school.
- 明天一起坐校车去游乐园吧！Let's take the school bus together to the amusement park tomorrow!
- 校车来了。Xiàochē lái le.The school bus is coming.
- 他在等校车。Tā zài děng xiàochē.He is waiting for the school bus.
- 校车停在门口。Xiàochē tíng zài ménkǒu.The school bus is parked at the entrance.
Example conversation
At a bus stop in the morning.
- 梓涵 Zihan伟，校车快到了吗？Wěi, xiàochē kuài dào le ma?Wei, is the school bus arriving soon?
- 伟 Wei快了，就在前面。Kuài le, jiù zài qiánmiàn.Soon, it is just ahead.
- 梓涵 Zihan太好了，我怕迟到。Tài hǎo le, wǒ pà chídào.Great, I'm afraid of being late.
- 伟 Wei别担心，校车很准时。Bié dānxīn, xiàochē hěn zhǔnshí.Don't worry, the school bus is very punctual.
