你
Our tickets say Car 11, seat 8A. Where should we queue?
Beginner · 10-12 min
Find Your Carriage and Seat找到车厢和座位
After this scene, you can check the train's orientation and marker color on the platform display, follow the correct ground markers to your carriage queue, wait for passengers to get off before boarding, and identify your seat row and whether it is by the window.
Learning
Scene setup
You have reached the correct platform, but the train has not arrived yet. Your ticket shows Car 11 and seat 8A. Because a platform may serve trains with different orientations and formations, several sets of colored ground markers can appear in the same area. First read the electronic display to check this train's orientation and which marker color to follow. Then find the matching carriage number, queue at its arrow, board in order, and locate your seat.
Real-life note
Colored carriage markers are station-specific guidance for the train currently being announced. Do not assume one color always means the same train position. Read the electronic display first, then follow only the displayed color and carriage number. Queue at the matching arrow, let passengers get off before boarding, and check the row number and seat letter once inside the carriage.
Core dialogue
朋友
First look at the electronic display on the platform. It shows the train's orientation and which marker color to follow.
你
It says, 'Cars 1 to 6 are at the front; follow the yellow markers.'
朋友
Car 11 is toward the back. Let's use the yellow markers to find 'Car 11.'
你
Why are there ground markers in different colors?
朋友
Because train direction and formation can vary, you need to follow the color shown on the electronic display.
你
I found it. The yellow marker says 'Car 11.'
朋友
We'll queue right here. The train will arrive shortly.
朋友
The train has arrived. Let the people getting off come out first.
你
Okay. Let's board the train.
你
Where is seat 8A?
朋友
The seat numbers are below the luggage rack. 8 is row eight, and A indicates a window seat.
你
I found it. I'm in the window seat.
Key phrases
Pick a phrase and see what it means here, and how to reuse it.
Phrase Card
Phrase 1 of 7
diàn电zǐ子píng屏
electronic display
From the dialogue
朋友:先看站台上的电子屏，上面会显示车头方向和地标颜色。
First look at the electronic display on the platform. It shows the train's orientation and which marker color to follow.
Use it here
电子屏 is the platform display used to identify the train's orientation and which carriage-marker color to follow.
Say it another way
- kàn看diàn电zǐ子píng屏
look at the electronic display
- zhàn站tái台shàng上de的diàn电zǐ子píng屏
the electronic display on the platform
- diàn电zǐ子píng屏xiǎn显shì示huáng黄sè色
the display shows yellow
Patterns
Pick a pattern and see how it helps you say new things in the same scene.
Pattern Card
Pattern 1 of 3
上面会显示 A 和 B
Explain which two pieces of information an electronic display will provide.
上面会显示信息 A和信息 B
信息 A = the first displayed detail
信息 B = the second displayed detail
From dialogue
- shàng上miàn面huì会xiǎn显shì示chē车tóu头fāng方xiàng向hé和dì地biāo标yán颜sè色。
It will show the train's orientation and which marker color to follow.
Try also
- shàng上miàn面huì会xiǎn显shì示chē车xiāng厢hé和zuò座wèi位。
It will show the carriage and seat.
- shàng上miàn面huì会xiǎn显shì示shí时jiān间hé和zhàn站tái台。
It will show the time and platform.
Common mistakes
Small fixes that make your Chinese sound natural.
1. Do not assume one fixed marker color
Not natural
十一车厢总是对应黄色地标。
Natural
十一车厢对应哪种颜色，要先看电子屏。
Why
Marker colors correspond to the train formation being shown at that time. The same carriage number does not always use one fixed color.
2. Let passengers get off first
Not natural
列车到了，我们先上车。
Natural
列车到了，先让下车的人出来。
Why
Passengers getting off have priority at the door. Wait until they have left the train before boarding.
3. Separate the row and seat position
Not natural
八A是第八车厢的A座。
Natural
8是第八排，A是靠窗的位置。
Why
Car 11 is the carriage. Within that carriage, 8 identifies the row and A identifies the seat position.
Connected learning path