Traffic & Transport Vocabulary in Chinese

Navigate daily travel with Traffic & Transport Vocabulary in Chinese. This collection covers essential words for vehicles, directions, public transport, tickets, and road situations. 

Transportation vocabulary is essential for navigating the city, asking for directions, and understanding traffic rules in Chinese. With GuruLango’s Spaced Repetition system, you’ll reinforce each term gradually, ensuring long-term retention and practical fluency.

Below is a preview set of Traffic & Transport vocabulary, selected from GuruLango’s 5000-word collection.

1. Vehicle - Common Transportation Tools & Ways to Travel

Use these words to describe different types of vehicles used for daily travel.

Vocabulary

Pinyin

English Meaning

交通工具 (noun)

jiāotōng gōngjù

Vehicle / transport

汽车 (noun)

qìchē

Car

公交车 (noun)

gōngjiāochē

Bus

出租车 (noun)

chūzūchē

Taxi

摩托车 (noun)

mótuōchē

Motorcycle

自行车 (noun)

zìxíngchē

Bicycle

火车 (noun)

huǒchē

Train

地铁 (noun)

dìtiě

Metro / subway

高铁 (noun)

gāotiě

High-speed train

船 (noun)

chuán

Boat

飞机 (noun)

fēijī

Airplane

电动车 (noun)

diàndòngchē

Electric scooter

2. Traffic - Road Conditions, Flow & Transport Situations

Use these terms to describe traffic conditions and what happens on the road.

Vocabulary 

Pinyin

English Meaning

交通 (noun)

jiāotōng

Traffic

十字路口 (noun)

shízì lùkǒu

Intersection

红绿灯 (noun)

hónglǜdēng

Traffic light

车道 (noun)

chēdào

Lane

高速公路 (noun)

gāosù gōnglù

Highway

堵车 (verb)

dǔchē

Traffic jam

事故 (noun)

shìgù

Accident

车速 (noun)

chēsù

Vehicle speed

公路 (noun)

gōnglù

Road

人行道 (noun)

rénxíngdào

Sidewalk

斑马线 (noun)

bānmǎxiàn

Crosswalk

3. Traffic Action - Movement, Driving & Road Behavior

These words describe actions taken by drivers, pedestrians, and vehicles.

Vocabulary

Pinyin

English Meaning

开车 (verb)

kāichē

Drive a car

骑车 (verb)

qíchē

Ride a bike

停车 (verb)

tíngchē

Park

转弯 (verb)

zhuǎnwān

Turn

直走 (verb)

zhízǒu

Go straight

超车 (verb)

chāochē

Overtake

倒车 (verb)

dàochē

Reverse

上车 (verb)

shàngchē

Get on (vehicle)

下车 (verb)

xiàchē

Get off (vehicle)

拦车 (verb)

lánchē

Hail a taxi

等车 (verb)

děng chē

Wait for the bus

4. Traffic Law - Rules, Safety & Road Regulations

Use these words to describe traffic rules and legal requirements for road usage.

Vocabulary

Pinyin

English Meaning

交通规则 (noun)

jiāotōng guīzé

Traffic rules

安全带 (noun)

ānquándài

Seat belt

驾照 (noun)

jiàzhào

Driver’s license

限速 (noun/verb)

xiànsù

Speed limit

酒驾 (noun/verb)

jiǔjià

Drunk driving

罚款 (noun/verb)

fákuǎn

Fine

违章 (noun/verb)

wéizhāng

Violate rules

信号灯 (noun)

xìnhàodēng

Signal light

行人优先 (phrase)

xíngrén yōuxiān

Pedestrians first

禁止停车 (phrase)

jìnzhǐ tíngchē

No parking

交通警察 (noun)

jiāotōng jǐngchá

Traffic police

5. Direction - Asking & Giving Locations and Routes

Use these terms to ask for or explain directions during travel.

Vocabulary

Pinyin

English Meaning

左边 (noun)

zuǒbiān

Left

右边 (noun)

yòubiān

Right

前面 (noun)

qiánmiàn

In front

后面 (noun)

hòumiàn

Behind

附近 (noun)

fùjìn

Nearby

远处 (noun)

yuǎnchù

Far away

靠近 (verb)

kàojìn

Approach / near

往前走 (phrase)

wǎng qián zǒu

Walk forward

往右拐 (phrase)

wǎng yòu guǎi

Turn right

在…旁边 (phrase)

zài… pángbiān

Next to…

怎么走? (phrase)

zěnme zǒu?

How to get there?

These five vocabulary categories help you describe vehicles, give directions, understand traffic laws, and express movement clearly in Chinese. With GuruLango’s Spaced Repetition system, you’ll build strong recall and speak confidently in real transportation situations.

Start learning with GuruLango today to travel smoothly and safely in Chinese