(sī jī) - driver, chauffeur in Mandarin
sījīTraditional: 司機
Translation
driver, chauffeur
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Word origin
A compound of 司 (sī, to take charge of) and 机 (jī, machine), so the one in charge of the machine.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 司 (sī, to manage) + 机 (jī, machine)
Stroke order
司
机
Examples
。
The driver says we will be there in ten minutes.
。
He was a taxi driver for twenty years.
。
The bus driver was very patient.
，。
Driver, could you stop just up ahead please?
，。
That driver had been drinking, and the police took him away.
司机 (sījī) is a driver as an occupation: the person at the wheel of a taxi, a bus, a lorry or a company car. It takes 位 (wèi) when you want to be polite and 个 (gè) otherwise, and it doubles as a form of address to the driver of a vehicle you are riding in.
It is not a general term for anyone who happens to be driving. If you drove yourself to work, you say 我开车去的 (wǒ kāichē qù de), not 我是司机.
Both syllables are first tone, flat and level, which learners often flatten into a mumble. Keep them high and separate: sī jī.
Where this fits
Used in
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Mandarin · Free printables
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Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "司机" (driver, chauffeur): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 23, lesson 4: 司机, 某种 and 8 more words.