What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 坐飞机 breaks down into the verb 坐 (zuò), which literally means 'to sit' or 'to ride' and the noun 飞机 (fēijī), which means 'airplane'. The word for airplane is itself composed of the characters for 'to fly' and 'machine'.
Which one should you use?
While 坐飞机 focuses on the act of sitting in or riding the plane, 乘飞机 (chéng fēijī) is a more formal way to express the same idea.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal situations, you can use 搭乘飞机 (dāchéng fēijī) or 乘坐飞机 (chéngzuò fēijī). The shorter version 乘飞机 (chéng fēijī) is also a formal option, often seen in written announcements or news. Conversely, 搭飞机 (dā fēijī) is an informal, shortened version of 搭乘飞机.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Beijing, it is common to hear locals use the formal expression 乘坐飞机 (chéngzuò fēijī).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say you are going to a destination by plane, place the phrase 坐飞机 before the verb 去 (qù, to go), resulting in 坐飞机去.
How do you pronounce it?
zuò fēijī
Did you know?
- In high-level formal Chinese, the character 乘 (chéng) from 乘飞机 shares a root with the mathematical term for 'multiplication'. This is because multiplying numbers was historically conceptualized as 'layering' or 'riding' one value upon another.
- The character 机 (jī) in 飞机 originally referred to a 'loom' or 'trigger mechanism', showing how the word for 'machine' evolved from weaving tools to aerospace technology.
- While 坐 (zuò) means 'to sit', it is used for almost all vehicles you sit inside, such as trains, buses and cars. However, you cannot use it for bicycles or motorcycles, where you must use 骑 (qí), which means 'to ride astride'.
Examples in context
- 我们坐飞机去北京吧。Wǒmen zuò fēijī qù Běijīng ba.Let's take an airplane to Beijing.
- 我明天要坐飞机。Wǒ míngtiān yào zuò fēijī.I am taking an airplane tomorrow.
- 坐飞机比坐火车快。Zuò fēijī bǐ zuò huǒchē kuài.Taking an airplane is faster than taking a train.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing how to get to their destination.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，我们怎么去北京？Xiǎowén, wǒmen zěnme qù Běijīng?Xiaowen, how are we going to Beijing?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我们坐飞机去吧。Wǒmen zuò fēijī qù ba.Let's take a plane.
- 浩然 Haoran坐飞机票价贵吗？Zuò fēijī piàojià guì ma?Are the plane tickets expensive?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen现在买票不贵。Xiànzài mǎi piào bù guì.It is not expensive to buy tickets now.
