páiduì: 排队 - To Queue, To Line Up, Wait in Line

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• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 排队 (pái duì), which means “to queue” or “to line up.” This fundamental term is crucial for navigating daily life in China, from buying train tickets and waiting for the subway to getting into a popular restaurant. This guide explores its meaning, cultural significance as a marker of modern civility, and practical usage with numerous example sentences to help you master this everyday action.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): páiduì
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object Compound (functions as a verb)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To stand in a line to wait for one's turn.
• In a Nutshell: 排队 is the simple, universal act of forming a line. Whether you're at a bank, a bubble tea shop, or an airport, this is the word you'll use. It's a verb that describes an action rooted in fairness and order, and its presence (or absence) is a noticeable part of social life in modern China.

• 排 (pái): This character means “to arrange,” “to put in order,” or “to line up.” The left side, the hand radical (扌), indicates an action done with the hands. The right side provides the sound. Think of it as actively *arranging* people or things into a row.
• 队 (duì): This character means a “row,” “a line of people,” or a “team.” The left side (阝) is a radical often associated with places or groups, and the right side (人) means person. So, you have a group of people in a certain place.
• Together, 排 (pái) + 队 (duì) literally means “to arrange a line,” which perfectly captures the meaning of “to queue up.”

In China, the act of 排队 is more than just a way to manage crowds; it's a visible symbol of social progress and 文明 (wénmíng) - civility. In past decades, particularly during times of resource scarcity, pushing and shoving to get ahead was more common. However, with rapid economic development and massive public education campaigns, orderly queuing is now heavily promoted and largely the norm in cities. You will see signs and hear announcements everywhere reminding people to “请排队 (qǐng páiduì)” - “Please queue.” Compared to Western cultures where queuing is often an unspoken, deeply ingrained social rule, in China it can feel like a more conscious, collective effort. It's an expression of modern, considerate, and harmonious social conduct. Refusing to queue, or 插队 (chāduì) - cutting in line, is considered extremely rude and a sign of poor character, often leading to public disapproval. Therefore, understanding and practicing 排队 is a key way to show respect for local social norms.

排队 is a high-frequency word used in countless daily situations. You will encounter it constantly.

• At transportation hubs: Buying tickets for trains (火车), subways (地铁), or buses (公交车).
• In retail and food service: Waiting to pay at the supermarket (超市), ordering at a fast-food restaurant, or waiting for a table at a popular restaurant. Many restaurants use a digital queuing system where you 排号 (páihào) - get a number - and wait for it to be called.
• At institutions: Waiting at a bank (银行), post office (邮局), or government office.
• At attractions: Lining up to enter a museum (博物馆) or a tourist site (景点).

The connotation is neutral; it simply describes the action. The verb is often used with phrases indicating the reason for queuing, such as 排队买票 (páiduì mǎi piào) - “to line up to buy tickets.”

• Example 1:
  • 这里人太多了，我们得排队。
  • Pinyin: Zhèlǐ rén tài duō le, wǒmen děi páiduì.
  • English: There are too many people here, we have to queue.
  • Analysis: A simple, common statement used when arriving at a crowded place. `得 (děi)` means “must” or “have to.”
• Example 2:
  • 请问，我需要在这里排队吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, wǒ xūyào zài zhèlǐ páiduì ma?
  • English: Excuse me, do I need to queue here?
  • Analysis: A very useful question for a foreigner to ask when unsure of the procedure. `请问 (qǐngwèn)` is the polite way to start a question.
• Example 3:
  • 他正在银行排队取钱。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhèngzài yínháng páiduì qǔ qián.
  • English: He is currently queuing at the bank to withdraw money.
  • Analysis: Shows 排队 used with a location (银行) and a purpose (取钱). `正在 (zhèngzài)` indicates an action in progress.
• Example 4:
  • 别着急，请大家自觉排队。
  • Pinyin: Bié zhāojí, qǐng dàjiā zìjué páiduì.
  • English: Don't be anxious, everyone please queue consciously/voluntarily.
  • Analysis: This is something a staff member might say. `自觉 (zìjué)` implies queuing out of one's own sense of good conduct, a key cultural value.
• Example 5:
  • 为了买到最新的手机，他排队等了一整夜。
  • Pinyin: Wèile mǎi dào zuìxīn de shǒujī, tā páiduì děng le yī zhěng yè.
  • English: In order to buy the newest phone, he queued and waited for a whole night.
  • Analysis: `为了 (wèile)` means “in order to,” showing the strong motivation for queuing. This example demonstrates using 排队 with a duration.
• Example 6:
  • 那个男人想插队，但是被我叫住了。你应该去后面排队！
  • Pinyin: Nàge nánrén xiǎng chāduì, dànshì bèi wǒ jiàozhù le. Nǐ yīnggāi qù hòumiàn páiduì!
  • English: That man wanted to cut in line, but I stopped him. You should go to the back and queue!
  • Analysis: A great example of addressing someone cutting in line (插队 - chāduì). `后面 (hòumiàn)` means “the back” or “behind.”
• Example 7:
  • 这家餐厅太火了，排队的人都排到门外了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng tài huǒ le, páiduì de rén dōu pái dào mén wài le.
  • English: This restaurant is so popular, the people queuing are lined up all the way outside the door.
  • Analysis: `火 (huǒ)`, literally “fire,” is slang for “popular” or “booming.” This sentence vividly describes a very long line.
• Example 8:
  • 我们先去取个号排队，然后再去逛逛。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiān qù qǔ ge hào páiduì, ránhòu zài qù guàngguang.
  • English: Let's go get a number to queue first, and then go look around.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the modern system of `排号 (páihào)`, or taking a number for a virtual queue, common in busy restaurants and banks.
• Example 9:
  • 坐地铁的时候，请在黄线外排队候车。
  • Pinyin: Zuò dìtiě de shíhou, qǐng zài huáng xiàn wài páiduì hòuchē.
  • English: When taking the subway, please queue behind the yellow line to wait for the train.
  • Analysis: A typical public announcement or sign. It specifies *where* to queue (`在黄线外` - outside the yellow line).
• Example 10:
  • 有序排队是文明社会的基本要求。
  • Pinyin: Yǒuxù páiduì shì wénmíng shèhuì de jīběn yāoqiú.
  • English: Queuing in an orderly manner is a basic requirement of a civilized society.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly links queuing (`排队`) with the cultural concept of civility (`文明 - wénmíng`).

• Don't Confuse with Just “Waiting”: 排队 specifically means waiting *in a line*. If you are just waiting for a friend on a street corner, you would use 等 (děng). You are not 排队 unless you are in an ordered queue for a service.
• The Ultimate Sin - 插队 (chāduì): The most critical mistake a learner can make is not understanding the social importance of 排队. Its opposite, 插队 (chāduì - to cut in line), is a major social taboo. Doing this will likely result in being called out by others. Always look for the end of the line (`队尾 - duìwěi`).
• Incorrect Usage for Objects: 排队 is almost exclusively used for people. You would not say a line of cars is “queuing” in the same way. While cars do form a line to, for example, pay a toll, you're more likely to hear that they are 堵车 (dǔchē - stuck in traffic) or simply waiting.
  • `* Incorrect:` 我的书在书架上排队。 (Wǒ de shū zài shūjià shàng páiduì.) - My books are queuing on the bookshelf.
  • `* Correct:` 我的书在书架上排成一排。 (Wǒ de shū zài shūjià shàng pái chéng yī pái.) - My books are arranged in a row on the bookshelf.

• 插队 (chāduì) - To cut in line. The direct opposite and a serious social mistake.
• 队伍 (duìwu) - The line or queue itself (noun). “队伍很长” means “The line is very long.”
• 排号 (páihào) - To get a number for a virtual queue, very common in banks and popular restaurants.
• 文明 (wénmíng) - Civilized; a core value that orderly queuing is seen as an expression of.
• 顺序 (shùnxù) - Sequence, order. The underlying principle of a queue is to follow the correct 顺序.
• 等 (děng) - To wait. Queuing involves waiting, but not all waiting involves queuing.
• 后面 (hòumiàn) - Behind, at the back. You go to the 后面 of the line to queue.
• 前面 (qiánmiàn) - In front, at the front. The person in front of you is in your 前面.
• 人山人海 (rén shān rén hǎi) - “People mountain, people sea.” An idiom for a huge crowd, the very reason 排队 is necessary.