Chinese word

占位

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhàn wèi

Meaning

  • verbsave a seat

Example

你先走，我去给你占位。nǐ xiān zǒu wǒ qù gěi nǐ zhàn wèi

Go ahead. I'll save you a seat.

Illustration for 占位 (save a seat)

More examples

上课前，老师让学生不要随意占位。shàng kè qián lǎo shī ràng xué shēng bú yào suí yì zhàn wèi

Before class, the teacher told the students not to save seats as they pleased.

Core concept

Treats a seat or spot as temporarily claimed before someone else can take it.

Common phrases

  • 我帮你占位wǒ bāng nǐ zhàn wèi

    save a seat for you

  • 请帮我占位一下qǐng bāng wǒ zhàn wèi yí xià

    save a seat for me

  • 先给孩子占位xiān gěi hái zi zhàn wèi

    save the child a seat first

Similar words

占座zhàn zuò: Claim a seat by taking it first or leaving something on it.
留座liú zuò: Save a seat so a particular person can use it later.
订位dìng wèi: Book a seat ahead of time through a restaurant or other facility.
抢位qiǎng wèi: Grab a seat or spot quickly before it goes to someone else.

Definition in Chinese

通过放置物品、派人或先到的方式，临时锁定某个座位或位置，防止被他人占用。tōng guò fàng zhì wù pǐn pài rén huò xiān dào de fāng shì lín shí suǒ dìng mǒu gè zuò wèi huò wèi zhì fáng zhǐ bèi tā rén zhàn yòng

Word origin

占 (zhàn, "take up") + 位 (wèi, "place") combines the act of claiming space with the place claimed, giving the everyday sense of reserving a spot.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word often covers reserving a seat for another person, while English speakers may expect the person keeping the seat to remain there.

Other meanings

  • hold a placeverb

Opposites

  • 让位ràng wèiyield one's seatverb

Related words

  • 占位费zhàn wèi fèiseat-saving feenoun

Word lists with this word