dēngjīkǒu: 登机口 - Boarding Gate

• Keywords: dengjikou, 登机口, boarding gate in Chinese, how to say airport gate in Chinese, Chinese airport vocabulary, flying in China, travel Chinese, HSK 3 vocabulary, 登机, gate number in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 登机口 (dēngjīkǒu), which means “boarding gate.” This is a crucial piece of vocabulary for anyone traveling by air in China. This page breaks down the characters, provides cultural context for the modern Chinese travel experience, and offers numerous practical example sentences to help you navigate any Chinese airport with confidence.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dēng jī kǒu
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: The designated entrance at an airport where passengers board their flight.
• In a Nutshell: 登机口 (dēngjīkǒu) is a highly logical and literal term. It's constructed from the words for “to board,” “airplane,” and “opening/entrance.” There's no hidden meaning; it's exactly what it sounds like. If you're in a Chinese airport, this is one of the most important signs you'll need to find.

• 登 (dēng): To ascend, to climb, or to board. Think of stepping up onto a vehicle.
• 机 (jī): Machine. In this context, it's short for 飞机 (fēijī), meaning “airplane.”
• 口 (kǒu): Mouth, opening, or entrance. Pictographically, it looks like an open mouth or a square opening.

When combined, 登 (to board) + 机 (airplane) + 口 (entrance) literally means “board-plane-entrance,” which is a perfect description of a boarding gate.

While “boarding gate” is a universal airport concept, understanding 登机口 within the context of modern China offers insight into the country's travel culture. Chinese airports are typically massive, ultra-modern, and highly efficient. The system is designed to move enormous numbers of people smoothly. The signage for 登机口 is standardized, clear, and almost always bilingual (Chinese and English), reflecting China's global connectivity. A key difference from some Western travel experiences is the procedural rigor. You will often have your boarding pass and ID checked multiple times: once to enter the specific waiting area for your 登机口, and then again to actually board the plane. The 登机口 is not just a doorway but a staffed checkpoint and the final hurdle before your flight. This reflects a cultural emphasis on order, process, and security in public spaces. Unlike the sometimes-chaotic free-for-all boarding in some Western airports, the process at a Chinese 登机口 is typically very orderly and follows a strict sequence.

The term 登机口 is used in a purely functional and neutral way. You will encounter it constantly within an airport environment.

• On Airport Signs: It's one of the most common signs, directing you through the terminal. It will almost always be followed by a letter and numbers, e.g., `登机口 B38`.
• On Your Boarding Pass: The gate number will be clearly labeled as 登机口.
• In Airport Announcements: You'll hear announcements about gate changes (`更改登机口 gēnggǎi dēngjīkǒu`) or final calls (`最后召集 zuìhòu zhàojí`) that mention the 登机口 number.
• In Conversation: It's the standard term used when asking for directions or coordinating with travel companions.

• Example 1:
  • 请问，我的登机口在哪里？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, wǒ de dēngjīkǒu zài nǎlǐ?
  • English: Excuse me, where is my boarding gate?
  • Analysis: A fundamental and polite question you can ask any airport staff. `请问 (qǐngwèn)` makes the question polite.
• Example 2:
  • 登机牌上写着我们的登机口是A15。
  • Pinyin: Dēngjīpái shàng xiězhe wǒmen de dēngjīkǒu shì A shí wǔ.
  • English: It says on the boarding pass that our gate is A15.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how you'd read the information from your `登机牌 (dēngjīpái)`, or boarding pass.
• Example 3:
  • 各位旅客请注意，飞往北京的CA1832航班登机口已更改为C28。
  • Pinyin: Gèwèi lǚkè qǐng zhùyì, fēiwǎng Běijīng de CA yāo bā sān èr hángbān dēngjīkǒu yǐ gēnggǎi wéi C èr shí bā.
  • English: Attention all passengers, the boarding gate for flight CA1832 to Beijing has been changed to C28.
  • Analysis: A very common type of airport announcement. `更改 (gēnggǎi)` means “to change.”
• Example 4:
  • 我们快走吧，登机口有点远。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen kuài zǒu ba, dēngjīkǒu yǒudiǎn yuǎn.
  • English: Let's hurry, the boarding gate is a bit far.
  • Analysis: Used when talking to a travel companion. `有点 (yǒudiǎn)` means “a little bit,” softening the statement.
• Example 5:
  • 我已经在登机口等你了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng zài dēngjīkǒu děng nǐ le.
  • English: I'm already at the boarding gate waiting for you.
  • Analysis: `已经…了 (yǐjīng…le)` is a common structure indicating an action is already completed.
• Example 6:
  • 前往上海的旅客现在可以到34号登机口开始登机。
  • Pinyin: Qiánwǎng Shànghǎi de lǚkè xiànzài kěyǐ dào sān shí sì hào dēngjīkǒu kāishǐ dēngjī.
  • English: Passengers traveling to Shanghai can now proceed to gate 34 to begin boarding.
  • Analysis: Another typical announcement. Note the use of `登机 (dēngjī)` (to board) as a verb, which is related to `登机口`.
• Example 7:
  • 你知道登机口几点开始登机吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zhīdào dēngjīkǒu jǐ diǎn kāishǐ dēngjī ma?
  • English: Do you know what time boarding begins at the gate?
  • Analysis: A useful question to ask an airline employee or a fellow passenger.
• Example 8:
  • 看，我们的登机口就在前面！
  • Pinyin: Kàn, wǒmen de dēngjīkǒu jiù zài qiánmiàn!
  • English: Look, our boarding gate is just ahead!
  • Analysis: An informal and positive exclamation. `就在 (jiù zài)` adds emphasis, meaning “right at.”
• Example 9:
  • 这个登机口人真多，我们得排队了。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dēngjīkǒu rén zhēn duō, wǒmen děi páiduì le.
  • English: This boarding gate is so crowded, we have to line up.
  • Analysis: A common observation at busy airports. `排队 (páiduì)` means “to queue” or “to line up.”
• Example 10:
  • 这是飞往纽约的最后登机召集，请还未登机的旅客尽快前往D5号登机口。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì fēiwǎng Niǔyuē de zuìhòu dēngjī zhàojí, qǐng hái wèi dēngjī de lǚkè jǐnkuài qiánwǎng D wǔ hào dēngjīkǒu.
  • English: This is the final boarding call for the flight to New York. Passengers who have not yet boarded, please proceed to gate D5 immediately.
  • Analysis: A formal and urgent announcement. `尽快 (jǐnkuài)` means “as soon as possible.”

• 登机口 (dēngjīkǒu) vs. 门口 (ménkǒu): A common mistake is using `门口 (ménkǒu)` for a boarding gate. `门口` means a general “doorway” or “entrance” (e.g., the front door of a building). If you say you are at the airport's `门口`, people will think you are at the main entrance to the entire terminal, not your specific flight gate.
  • Incorrect: `我们在飞机场的门口等飞机。` (This sounds like you're waiting for the plane at the main entrance of the airport building.)
  • Correct: `我们在登机口等飞机。` (We are waiting for the plane at the boarding gate.)
• 登机口 (dēngjīkǒu) vs. 安检口 (ānjiǎnkǒu): Do not confuse the boarding gate with the security checkpoint. The `安检口 (ānjiǎnkǒu)` is where you go through security screening (`安检` = security check). You must pass through the `安检口` first, before you can find your `登机口`.
• 登机口 (dēngjīkǒu) vs. 出口 (chūkǒu): `出口 (chūkǒu)` means “Exit.” This is the sign you look for when you have landed and want to leave the airport. Using it when you are trying to depart will lead you in the completely wrong direction!

• 登机牌 (dēngjīpái) - Boarding Pass; the document you need to get to the `登机口`.
• 航班 (hángbān) - Flight Number; the specific identifier for your flight (e.g., CA981).
• 机票 (jīpiào) - Airplane Ticket; the ticket you purchase, which is distinct from the boarding pass you get at check-in.
• 机场 (jīchǎng) - Airport; the entire facility where you find the `登机口`.
• 安检 (ānjiǎn) - Security Check; the process you must go through before reaching the gate area.
• 起飞 (qǐfēi) - To Take Off; the action the plane takes after leaving the `登机口`.
• 到达 (dàodá) - To Arrive; the opposite of departing.
• 晚点 (wǎndiǎn) - Delayed; what happens when your flight's departure time from the `登机口` is pushed back.
• 行李 (xíngli) - Luggage; what you bring with you to the airport.
• 护照 (hùzhào) - Passport; the essential travel document for international flights.