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计程车 (jì chéng chē) — taxi (used in Taiwan and some other regions)

Definition

The standard word for 'taxi' in Taiwan and some other regions (literally 'metered car'). On the mainland, 出租车 is the everyday equivalent.

noun
taxi (used in Taiwan and some other regions)
Measure word · 辆

Examples

  • ，计程车。
    Zài tái běi, jì chéng chē hěn fāng biàn jiào dào.
    In Taipei, taxis are very easy to hail.
  • 计程车。
    Wǒ zuò jì chéng chē qù jī chǎng.
    I took a taxi to the airport.
  • 计程车。
    Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào yí liàng jì chéng chē.
    Please call a taxi for me.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

计程distance measuring
计jìcalculate程chéngdistance
动宾Verb + object
车chēvehicle

计程 measures distance, and 车 is the vehicle.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.

Open 计 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 車; 车 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 車 was drawn as a carriage seen from above, with wheels on both sides and a shaft at the front; the simplified 车 is a later shorthand.

Open 车 →
Appears in
Vehicles

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