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乘务员 (chéng wù yuán) — attendant (on an airplane, train, boat, or other public transport)

Definition

乘务员 is the staff member who serves passengers on a vehicle — not the vehicle itself (船, 船只) and not the passenger (乘客). Equivalent to 'attendant' or 'crew member' on a plane, train, or ship.

noun
attendant (on an airplane, train, boat, or other public transport)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 乘务员。
    Huǒ chē shàng de chéng wù yuán bāng wǒ bǎ xíng li fàng hǎo le.
    The attendant on the train helped me put my luggage away.
  • 乘务员。
    Fēi jī chéng wù yuán zhèng zài jiǎn chá ān quán dài.
    The flight attendant is checking the seat belts.
  • 乘务员。
    Zhè sōu chuán de chéng wù yuán fú wù hěn zhōu dào.
    The service of the attendants on this boat is very attentive.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

乘务service
乘chéngride务wùduty
偏正Modifier + head
员yuánsuffix

乘务员 adds 员 to 乘务, where 乘 (ride) and 务 (duty) form the service role.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

乘 was drawn as a person climbing a tree, with the feet visible.

Open 乘 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Professions & JobsVehicles

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