lǚkè: 旅客 - Traveler, Passenger

• Keywords: lüke, lvke, 旅客, lǚkè, Chinese for traveler, passenger in Chinese, lüke vs youke, travel in China, HSK 4 vocabulary, Chinese nouns, travel vocabulary Mandarin
• Summary: Learn the meaning and usage of 旅客 (lǚkè), the essential Chinese word for “traveler” or “passenger.” This page breaks down the characters 旅 (lǚ) and 客 (kè), explains the crucial difference between a 旅客 (lǚkè) and a 游客 (yóukè) (tourist), and provides numerous example sentences. Ideal for HSK 4 students and anyone traveling in China, this guide covers how 旅客 is used in airports, train stations, and official contexts.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lǚ kè
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: A person who is traveling, especially one who is a passenger on public transportation.
• In a Nutshell: 旅客 (lǚkè) is the standard, slightly formal term you'll encounter in any transportation hub in China. Think of it as the official word for “passenger” or “traveler” used on signs, in announcements, and by staff at airports, train stations, and bus depots. It focuses on the person's status as someone in transit from one place to another.

• 旅 (lǚ): This character means “to travel” or “journey.” Its ancient form depicted people gathered under a banner, suggesting an organized group on the move, like an army or a caravan.
• 客 (kè): This character means “guest” or “visitor.” It pictures a person arriving at a house (represented by the roof radical 宀), signifying someone who is not the host.

By combining these two, 旅客 (lǚkè) literally means a “travel guest.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of a person who is a guest of an airline, railway, or other transport service during their journey.

In Chinese culture, travel (旅行 lǚxíng) has long been a subject of poetry and philosophy, but the modern term 旅客 (lǚkè) is far more pragmatic. It's a functional label that reflects China's massive, highly organized, and state-of-the-art public transportation infrastructure. A useful comparison is to the English words “traveler” and “passenger.” While “traveler” in the West can evoke romantic images of adventure and self-discovery (“I'm not a tourist, I'm a traveler”), 旅客 (lǚkè) carries almost none of this connotation. It is much closer to “passenger”—a neutral, functional term for a person using a transport service. Its prevalence on official signage and in announcements reinforces a sense of order and large-scale management, which is a key aspect of modern public life in China. You are a 旅客 when you are part of the system of moving people.

You will see and hear 旅客 (lǚkè) constantly in any travel-related environment. It is formal and neutral. You would not typically refer to your friend on vacation as a 旅客 in casual conversation; you'd be more likely to say they are “traveling” (在旅行 zài lǚxíng).

• In Transportation Hubs: This is the most common context. Signs, electronic displays, and announcements will all use 旅客.
  • e.g., 旅客须知 (lǚkè xūzhī) - “Notice to Passengers”
  • e.g., 国际旅客 (guójì lǚkè) - “International Passengers”
• By Service Staff: Airline, train, and bus company staff will refer to their customers as 旅客.
  • e.g., “我们为延误的旅客提供住宿。” (Wǒmen wèi yánwù de lǚkè tígōng zhùsù.) - “We provide accommodation for delayed passengers.”
• In News and Official Reports: Media and government reports on tourism or transportation will use 旅客 to refer to passenger volume and statistics.
  • e.g., “黄金周期间旅客人数创下新高。” (Huángjīnzhōu qījiān lǚkè rénshù chuàngxià xīngāo.) - “The number of travelers reached a new high during Golden Week.”

• Example 1:
  • 机场里有很多旅客在等候登机。
  • Pinyin: Jīchǎng lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǚkè zài děnghòu dēngjī.
  • English: There are many passengers in the airport waiting to board.
  • Analysis: A very standard, neutral sentence describing a scene at an airport. 旅客 is the perfect word here.
• Example 2:
  • 请各位旅客带好您的随身行李，准备上车。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng gèwèi lǚkè dài hǎo nín de suíshēn xíngli, zhǔnbèi shàng chē.
  • English: All passengers, please take your carry-on luggage and prepare to board the train/bus.
  • Analysis: This is exactly what you would hear in an announcement at a train or bus station. “各位 (gèwèi)” is a polite way to say “everyone” or “all.”
• Example 3:
  • 这趟列车是为商务旅客设计的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tàng lièchē shì wèi shāngwù lǚkè shèjì de.
  • English: This train is designed for business travelers.
  • Analysis: This shows how 旅客 can be modified. A business traveler is a type of “passenger,” distinct from a tourist (游客 yóukè).
• Example 4:
  • 春运期间，铁路系统承载了数亿人次的旅客。
  • Pinyin: Chūnyùn qījiān, tiělù xìtǒng chéngzài le shù yì réncì de lǚkè.
  • English: During the Spring Festival travel rush, the railway system carried hundreds of millions of passengers.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the use of 旅客 in a formal, statistical context related to massive-scale transport in China.
• Example 5:
  • 作为一名旅客，你应该提前了解目的地的文化。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng lǚkè, nǐ yīnggāi tíqián liǎojiě mùdìdì de wénhuà.
  • English: As a traveler, you should understand the culture of your destination in advance.
  • Analysis: Here, 旅客 is used in a slightly more general sense, closer to the English “traveler,” but it still maintains a neutral, responsible tone.
• Example 6:
  • 酒店前台正在为两位外国旅客办理入住。
  • Pinyin: Jiǔdiàn qiántái zhèngzài wèi liǎng wèi wàiguó lǚkè bànlǐ rùzhù.
  • English: The hotel front desk is checking in two foreign travelers.
  • Analysis: While 游客 (yóukè) could also work here if they are tourists, 旅客 is a safe, neutral choice that simply identifies them as people who have traveled to get there.
• Example 7:
  • 由于天气原因，所有旅客的航班都被取消了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, suǒyǒu lǚkè de hángbān dōu bèi qǔxiāo le.
  • English: Due to weather, all passengers' flights have been canceled.
  • Analysis: This is a typical sentence used by an airline to inform its customers. 旅客 is the standard term for “passenger” in the airline industry.
• Example 8:
  • 旅客信息登记表上需要填写姓名和护照号码。
  • Pinyin: Lǚkè xìnxī dēngjì biǎo shàng xūyào tiánxiě xìngmíng hé hùzhào hàomǎ.
  • English: The passenger information registration form requires you to fill in your name and passport number.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 旅客 in official documents and forms.
• Example 9:
  • 那位旅客看起来很累，他可能坐了很长时间的飞机。
  • Pinyin: Nà wèi lǚkè kànqǐlái hěn lèi, tā kěnéng zuòle hěn cháng shíjiān de fēijī.
  • English: That passenger looks very tired; he probably had a very long flight.
  • Analysis: Even in observation, 旅客 is used to describe someone within the context of their journey. The focus is on the travel they have just endured.
• Example 10:
  • 我们的导游负责照顾团里每一位旅客的安全。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de dǎoyóu fùzé zhàogù tuán lǐ měi yī wèi lǚkè de ānquán.
  • English: Our tour guide is responsible for the safety of every traveler in the group.
  • Analysis: In a tour group context, 旅客 and 游客 can sometimes be used interchangeably, but 旅客 can sound slightly more formal and all-encompassing.

The single most common mistake for learners is confusing 旅客 (lǚkè) with 游客 (yóukè).

• 旅客 (lǚkè) - The Passenger:
  • Focus: The act of transit. Being on a plane, train, bus, or in the station/airport.
  • Purpose: Can be anything—business, family visit, tourism, etc.
  • Key Question: Is this person *using a mode of transportation*?
  • Example: Everyone in an airport terminal is a 旅客.
• 游客 (yóukè) - The Tourist:
  • Focus: The act of sightseeing. Visiting an attraction for leisure.
  • Purpose: Strictly for pleasure, tourism.
  • Key Question: Is this person *here for fun/sightseeing*?
  • Example: Everyone at the Great Wall or in the Forbidden City is a 游客.

Incorrect Usage:

• `(At a museum)` “你看，这个博物馆里有很多旅客！” (Nǐ kàn, zhège bówùguǎn lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǚkè!)
• Why it's wrong: People in a museum are there for sightseeing, not transit. They are tourists.
• Correct: “你看，这个博物馆里有很多游客！” (Nǐ kàn, zhège bówùguǎn lǐ yǒu hěn duō yóukè!)

Rule of Thumb: A 游客 (tourist) is a 旅客 (passenger) when they are on the plane to their destination, but a 旅客 on a business trip is never a 游客.

• 游客 (yóukè) - Tourist. The most important related term to distinguish. Focuses on travel for pleasure.
• 乘客 (chéngkè) - Passenger. Very similar to 旅客, but more specifically emphasizes someone who is currently *riding* or *on board* a vehicle (`乘` means to ride). 旅客 is broader and includes people in the station as well.
• 旅行 (lǚxíng) - (v./n.) To travel; a journey. The general act of traveling. A 旅客 is someone who is doing 旅行.
• 旅游 (lǚyóu) - (v./n.) To tour; tourism. Travel for pleasure. This is what a 游客 (yóukè) does.
• 出差 (chūchāi) - (v.) To be on a business trip. A person on a business trip is a 旅客, but not a 游客.
• 客人 (kèrén) - Guest; customer. Shares the character 客 (kè). A broader term for any guest or customer, not just in a travel context.
• 行李 (xíngli) - Luggage; baggage. An essential item for every 旅客.
• 护照 (hùzhào) - Passport. A key document for any international 旅客.
• 航班 (hángbān) - Flight (scheduled). What a 旅客 takes at an airport.
• 车票 (chēpiào) - Ticket (for a train or bus). What a 旅客 needs to board.