乘 (chéng) — to ride; to travel by; to take (a vehicle)

Definition

A formal/written verb for riding or traveling by a vehicle — common in news and schedules. 搭 is the everyday spoken choice; 乘坐 is even more formal.

verb

to rideto travel byto take (a vehicle)

Easily confused

乘。
Wǒ měi tiān chéng dì tiě qù gōng sī.
I take the subway to the office every day.
乘？
Nǐ dǎ suàn chéng huǒ chē hái shì fēi jī?
Do you plan to go by train or by plane?
。
Tā men chéng chuán qù le nà ge xiǎo dǎo.
They took a boat to that small island.

Pictograph

六书liùshū

象形xiàngxíng

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.

Appears in