Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== zhuānchē: 专车 - Premium Ride-Hailing Service, Private Car ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** zhuanche, 专车, Chinese ride-hailing, Didi zhuanche, private car service China, what is zhuanche, Chinese Uber, chartered car, 快车 vs 专车, booking a car in China * **Summary:** **专车 (zhuānchē)** is a modern Chinese term primarily referring to a premium ride-hailing service, similar to Uber Black or Uber Comfort. Booked through apps like Didi, a **专车** offers a higher-quality, more professional, and comfortable experience than a standard taxi or the cheaper ride-share option, [[快车]] (kuàichē). While it literally means "special-purpose vehicle" and can refer to a company car or chartered bus, its most common use today is for ordering a clean, reliable, and professional private car service in China's bustling cities. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zhuānchē * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** N/A (but essential for modern life in China) * **Concise Definition:** A private car service, especially a premium ride-hailing service booked via an app. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **专车 (zhuānchē)** as the business-class version of ride-sharing in China. When you call a standard taxi or the cheapest ride-share, you get what you get. When you order a **专车**, you're paying a bit more for a guaranteed clean car, a professional driver (who might even offer you water or a phone charger), and a smoother, more comfortable ride. It’s the go-to choice for business trips, heading to the airport, or when you simply want to avoid the hassle of a regular taxi. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **专 (zhuān):** This character means "specialized," "dedicated," or "for a specific purpose." It's the same character in 专家 (zhuānjiā), meaning "expert." It implies focus and exclusivity. * **车 (chē):** This character is a pictogram of a chariot viewed from above, and it simply means "car" or "vehicle." * **Combined Meaning:** Together, 专 (zhuān) and 车 (chē) literally mean a "specialized vehicle." This perfectly captures its meaning: a car dedicated to a specific person, trip, or level of service, distinguishing it from a generic vehicle available to anyone on the street. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * **The Rise of the Digital Middle Class:** The popularity of **专车** is a direct reflection of China's "consumption upgrade" (消费升级 - xiāofèi shēngjí). As the middle class has grown, so has the demand for higher-quality services. People are willing to pay more for convenience, comfort, and professionalism, which **专车** services provide in contrast to the sometimes unpredictable experience of traditional taxis. * **Didi vs. The World:** While the West has Uber and Lyft, China has Didi Chuxing (滴滴出行). **专车** is one of the key service tiers within the Didi ecosystem. Understanding this term is crucial to navigating the dominant ride-hailing platform in China. * **Comparison to Western Services:** The best way to understand the **专车** concept is to compare it to the tiers within the Uber app: * **[[快车]] (kuàichē) - "Fast Car":** This is the equivalent of UberX or a standard Lyft. It's the cheapest, most basic peer-to-peer ride-share option. * **[[出租车]] (chūzūchē) - "Taxi":** This is for hailing a licensed city taxi through the app. * **专车 (zhuānchē) - "Specialized Car":** This is the equivalent of Uber Comfort or Uber Black. The cars are newer and cleaner (often a black sedan), and the drivers are held to a higher standard of service. Choosing a **专车** is less about pure transportation and more about the quality of the experience. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Ride-Hailing Apps:** This is the primary context for **专车**. When you open Didi or another ride-hailing app, you will see different service options. You tap on "**专车**" to book a premium ride. This is extremely common for: * Traveling to/from the airport or train station with luggage. * Business professionals going to meetings. * Special occasions or when you want to ensure a comfortable ride for guests. * Times when you've had a bad experience with other services and want a guaranteed quality ride. * **Older, Formal Usage:** While less common in daily conversation, **专车** can still refer to a vehicle assigned for a specific purpose by an organization. For example, a company might have a **专车** and driver designated to transport executives or pick up important clients. A hotel might offer a **专车** service for airport transfers. The context makes the meaning clear. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 太晚了，我们叫一辆**专车**回家吧。 * Pinyin: Tài wǎn le, wǒmen jiào yí liàng **zhuānchē** huí jiā ba. * English: It's too late, let's call a **premium car service** to go home. * Analysis: A very common, everyday use of the term. "叫 (jiào)" here means "to call" or "to order" a service. * **Example 2:** * 去机场的话，我建议你预约**专车**，比较可靠。 * Pinyin: Qù jīchǎng de huà, wǒ jiànyì nǐ yùyuē **zhuānchē**, bǐjiào kěkào. * English: If you're going to the airport, I suggest you book a **premium ride**, it's more reliable. * Analysis: This highlights the key value proposition of a **专车**: reliability (可靠 - kěkào). * **Example 3:** * 这次出差，公司给我们安排了**专车**接送。 * Pinyin: Zhè cì chūchāi, gōngsī gěi wǒmen ānpái le **zhuānchē** jiēsòng. * English: For this business trip, the company arranged a **private car** for our pickups and drop-offs. * Analysis: This uses the older, more formal meaning of **专车** as a company-provided car. * **Example 4:** * **专车**的价格比快车贵，但服务也好得多。 * Pinyin: **Zhuānchē** de jiàgé bǐ kuàichē guì, dàn fúwù yě hǎo de duō. * English: The price of a **premium ride (zhuanche)** is more expensive than a standard ride (kuaiche), but the service is also much better. * Analysis: A direct comparison between the two main ride-sharing tiers, which is a key concept for learners. * **Example 5:** * 你看，这辆**专车**里还有免费的水和充电线。 * Pinyin: Nǐ kàn, zhè liàng **zhuānchē** lǐ hái yǒu miǎnfèi de shuǐ hé chōngdiànxiàn. * English: Look, this **premium car** even has free water and charging cables. * Analysis: This points to the specific perks that differentiate a **专车** from other options. * **Example 6:** * 高峰时段，**专车**可能比出租车还难叫到。 * Pinyin: Gāofēng shíduàn, **zhuānchē** kěnéng bǐ chūzūchē hái nán jiào dào. * English: During rush hour, a **premium car** might be even harder to get than a taxi. * Analysis: This shows a practical challenge. "叫到 (jiào dào)" is a resultative complement, meaning to "succeed in calling/booking." * **Example 7:** * **专车**司机通常都穿白衬衫，看起来很专业。 * Pinyin: **Zhuānchē** sījī tōngcháng dōu chuān bái chènshān, kànqǐlái hěn zhuānyè. * English: **Premium ride** drivers usually wear white shirts and look very professional. * Analysis: This touches upon the driver's professionalism (专业 - zhuānyè), which shares the same character 专 (zhuān). * **Example 8:** * 你可以直接在滴滴App里选择“**专车**”服务。 * Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ zhíjiē zài Dīdi App lǐ xuǎnzé "**zhuānchē**" fúwù. * English: You can directly select the "**Zhuanche**" service in the Didi app. * Analysis: This gives a direct, actionable instruction for using the service. * **Example 9:** * 我们为旅行团包了一辆**专车**，可以随时停车拍照。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen wèi lǚxíngtuán bāo le yí liàng **zhuānchē**, kěyǐ suíshí tíngchē pāizhào. * English: We chartered a **private vehicle** for the tour group, so we can stop to take pictures anytime. * Analysis: This example is closer to the meaning of "chartered vehicle," showing the term's flexibility. It's similar to [[包车]] (bāochē). * **Example 10:** * 为了不迟到，他奢侈了一把，叫了**专车**去面试。 * Pinyin: Wèile bù chídào, tā shēchǐ le yì bǎ, jiào le **zhuānchē** qù miànshì. * English: In order not to be late, he splurged a little and called a **premium ride** to go to the interview. * Analysis: This sentence implies that calling a **专车** is seen as a small luxury or a splurge (奢侈 - shēchǐ). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **专车 (zhuānchē) vs. 快车 (kuàichē):** This is the most critical distinction. **Don't use them interchangeably.** * **快车 (kuàichē):** Standard, cheaper, everyday ride-share. Like UberX. * **专车 (zhuānchē):** Premium, more expensive, professional service. Like Uber Black. * **Mistake:** Saying "我叫个快车" (Wǒ jiào ge kuàichē) when you actually want the premium service will result in a standard car arriving. * **专车 (zhuānchē) vs. 出租车 (chūzūchē):** * A **出租车 (chūzūchē)** is a licensed taxi you can hail on the street or book via an app. Quality, cleanliness, and service can vary greatly. * A **专车 (zhuānchē)** can //only// be booked through an app. It is not a licensed taxi and cannot be hailed on the street. * **Mistake:** Trying to flag down a black sedan on the street and calling it a **专车**. This won't work; **专车** drivers can only accept app-based bookings. * **"Calling" vs. "Booking":** The verb used is often 叫 (jiào), which means "to call." So you "叫专车" (jiào zhuānchē). You can also use 预约 (yùyuē) for booking in advance. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[快车]] (kuàichē) - The standard, cheaper ride-hailing service on Didi; the main alternative to **专车**. * [[滴滴出行]] (Dīdi Chūxíng) - The dominant ride-hailing app in China where you would book a **专车**. * [[出租车]] (chūzūchē) - Taxi; the traditional alternative. Also known as 的士 (dīshì). * [[打车]] (dǎchē) - A common verb meaning "to take a taxi" or, more broadly, "to get a ride." You can say "打个专车" (dǎ ge zhuānchē), though "叫 (jiào)" is more frequent. * [[司机]] (sījī) - Driver. You would refer to your driver as "司机师傅 (sījī shīfu)" to be polite. * [[包车]] (bāochē) - To charter a car, usually for a longer period like half a day or a full day, for a specific itinerary. It's a more comprehensive service than a single **专车** trip. * [[预约]] (yùyuē) - To book in advance, to make a reservation. You can 预约 a **专车** for a specific time. * [[接送]] (jiēsòng) - Pick up and drop off service. Often used in the context of **专车**, e.g., 机场接送 (jīchǎng jiēsòng) - airport transfer service.