Chinese word

排队

Pronunciation

Pinyinpái duì

Meaning

  • verbline up

Example

我们在银行门口排队。wǒ men zài yín háng mén kǒu pái duì

We are lining up at the bank entrance.

Illustration for 排队 (line up)

More examples

早晨上学时，学生在校门口排队。zǎo chén shàng xué shí xué shēng zài xiào mén kǒu pái duì

When going to school in the morning, students wait in line at the school gate.

Core concept

People form an ordered line and wait for their turns at a service or activity.

Common phrases

  • 在公交站排队zài gōng jiāo zhàn pái duì

    wait in line at the bus stop

  • 在窗口排队zài chuāng kǒu pái duì

    wait in line at the window

  • 排队买东西pái duì mǎi dōng xī

    wait in line to buy things

Similar words

等děng: Waiting until something happens or someone arrives.
插队chā duì: Entering an established line ahead of others and taking a turn out of order.

Definition in Chinese

在公共场所按先后顺序站成一列，等待轮到自己接受服务或进行下一步行动。zài gōng gòng cháng suǒ àn xiān hòu shùn xù zhàn chéng yí liè děng dài lún dào zì jǐ jiē shòu fú wù huò jìn xíng xià yí bù xíng dòng

Word origin

排队 (páiduì, "line up") combines 排 (pái, "arrange in a row") with 队 (duì, "line or group"), giving the image of people arranged into an orderly line.

Usage tips

  • English often separates forming a line from waiting in it, while this Chinese verb commonly covers the whole process until a person's turn comes.

Other meanings

  • wait one's turnverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word