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| 起步价 [2025/08/13 20:18] – created xiaoer | 起步价 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== qǐbùjià: 起步价 - Base Fare, Starting Price, Flagfall ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** qibujia, qǐbùjià, 起步价, Chinese taxi fare, base fare in Chinese, starting price, flagfall, taxi meter price, China travel cost, Didi fare, minimum charge Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese word **起步价 (qǐbùjià)**, which means "base fare" or "starting price." This term is crucial for anyone taking a taxi or using a ride-sharing app in China. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and provides practical example sentences to help you navigate transportation costs like a local. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** qǐbùjià | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** The minimum, fixed charge for a service, particularly a taxi ride, before additional fees for distance or time are applied. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine you get into a taxi in Beijing. The moment the driver starts the meter, it doesn't begin at zero. It instantly shows a price like 13 RMB. That initial amount, which covers the first few kilometers of your journey, is the **起步价 (qǐbùjià)**. It's the "price to get started." | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **起 (qǐ):** To start, to begin, to rise. Think of "starting" a race or an engine. | |
| * **步 (bù):** A step or a pace. It represents the initial part of a journey. | |
| * **价 (jià):** Price or cost. The left part (人) means 'person', suggesting value related to human activity. | |
| When combined, 起步价 (qǐbùjià) literally means "starting-step-price," a beautifully logical and transparent term for the base fare of a journey. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| The concept of a base fare isn't unique to China, but the term **起步价 (qǐbùjià)** is a cornerstone of daily urban life. In a country where taxis and ride-sharing services like Didi (滴滴) are ubiquitous, knowing this word is as fundamental as knowing how to say "hello." | |
| Unlike the English "base fare" or "flagfall," which are somewhat formal, **起步价** is used constantly in everyday conversation by everyone. It's often posted clearly on the passenger-side window of every official taxi. This price can also serve as a quick economic indicator; the **起步价** in Shanghai (around 16 RMB) is significantly higher than in a smaller Tier-3 city (perhaps 5-7 RMB), reflecting the different costs of living. Understanding this term moves you from being a tourist to someone who can navigate the city's logistics with confidence. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **起步价** is a neutral, factual term used in formal and informal contexts. | |
| * **In Taxis and Ride-Sharing:** This is its most common use. You'll use it when asking about fares, reading the fee schedule, or discussing the cost of a trip. | |
| * **Other Services:** While less common, the concept can be extended. A delivery service might have a **起送价 (qǐsòngjià)**, or "base delivery fee." A repairman might have a base call-out fee, which could also be described as a **起步价**. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 请问，这里的出租车**起步价**是多少钱？ | |
| * Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, zhèlǐ de chūzūchē **qǐbùjià** shì duōshǎo qián? | |
| * English: Excuse me, what is the taxi base fare here? | |
| * Analysis: This is the most important question you can learn. It's a polite and direct way to ask about the starting price. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 北京的**起步价**是十三块，包含三公里。 | |
| * Pinyin: Běijīng de **qǐbùjià** shì shísān kuài, bāohán sān gōnglǐ. | |
| * English: The base fare in Beijing is 13 RMB and includes the first three kilometers. | |
| * Analysis: A typical response you might hear from a driver or a local. It clarifies what the initial fee covers. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 我的公司离家很近，打车一般超不过**起步价**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒ de gōngsī lí jiā hěn jìn, dǎchē yībān chāo bú guò **qǐbùjià**. | |
| * English: My office is very close to home; taking a taxi usually doesn't exceed the base fare. | |
| * Analysis: This shows how **起步价** can be used as a benchmark for distance or cost on short trips. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 这里的**起步价**太贵了，我们还是坐地铁吧。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhèlǐ de **qǐbùjià** tài guì le, wǒmen háishì zuò dìtiě ba. | |
| * English: The base fare here is too expensive, let's just take the subway instead. | |
| * Analysis: A common consideration when deciding on transportation. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 师傅，我的路程很短，就在**起步价**范围内。 | |
| * Pinyin: Shīfu, wǒ de lùchéng hěn duǎn, jiù zài **qǐbùjià** fànwéi nèi. | |
| * English: Driver, my journey is very short; it's within the range of the base fare. | |
| * Analysis: A useful phrase to let the driver know you're not going far. "师傅 (shīfu)" is a polite way to address a driver. | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 上海的**起步价**比我们老家的贵一倍。 | |
| * Pinyin: Shànghǎi de **qǐbùjià** bǐ wǒmen lǎojiā de guì yī bèi. | |
| * English: The base fare in Shanghai is double that of my hometown. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence uses the 比 (bǐ) structure for comparison, a very common grammar pattern. | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 从下个月起，出租车的**起步价**要上调两块钱。 | |
| * Pinyin: Cóng xià ge yuè qǐ, chūzūchē de **qǐbùjià** yào shàngtiáo liǎng kuài qián. | |
| * English: Starting next month, the taxi base fare will be increased by two RMB. | |
| * Analysis: Demonstrates vocabulary related to price changes. 上调 (shàngtiáo) means "to adjust upwards." | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 这个网约车平台的**起步价**比出租车便宜一点。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège wǎngyuēchē píngtái de **qǐbùjià** bǐ chūzūchē piányi yīdiǎn. | |
| * English: This ride-sharing app's base fare is a little cheaper than a regular taxi's. | |
| * Analysis: Shows the term used in the context of modern ride-sharing apps (网约车, wǎngyuēchē). | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 总费用是**起步价**加上每公里的费用。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zǒng fèiyòng shì **qǐbùjià** jiāshàng měi gōnglǐ de fèiyòng. | |
| * English: The total cost is the base fare plus the per-kilometer fee. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence clearly distinguishes the **起步价** from the other components of the final price. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 夜间的**起步价**会高一些。 | |
| * Pinyin: Yèjiān de **qǐbùjià** huì gāo yīxiē. | |
| * English: The base fare at night will be a bit higher. | |
| * Analysis: A crucial piece of practical information for travelers, as many cities have a higher surcharge for nighttime travel. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **Mistake: Confusing it with the total price.** | |
| * **起步价 (qǐbùjià)** is only the *starting* price. The final price you pay is the **车费 (chēfèi)** or **总价 (zǒngjià)**. Don't be surprised when the final meter reading is higher than the base fare on a long trip. | |
| * **Mistake: Using it as a verb.** | |
| * **起步价** is a noun. You cannot "base fare" something. | |
| * **Incorrect:** 我**起步价**了这辆车。(Wǒ **qǐbùjià** le zhè liàng chē.) | |
| * **Correct:** 这辆车的**起步价**是10块钱。(Zhè liàng chē de **qǐbùjià** shì 10 kuài qián.) - The base fare //of this car// is 10 RMB. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[打车]] (dǎchē) - To hail/take a taxi. The action that leads to paying a **起步价**. | |
| * [[出租车]] (chūzūchē) - Taxi; the most common vehicle with a **起步价**. | |
| * [[车费]] (chēfèi) - Car fare; the total cost of the ride, of which the **起步价** is the first component. | |
| * [[滴滴]] (Dīdī) - The "Uber" of China. Didi rides also have a **起步价**. | |
| * [[起送价]] (qǐsòngjià) - Minimum price for delivery. A parallel concept for food/package delivery. The characters 送 (sòng - to deliver) replace 步 (bù - step). | |
| * [[跳表]] (tiàobiǎo) - Lit. "jump meter." The action of the taxi meter ticking up to a higher price after the initial distance is exceeded. | |
| * [[公里]] (gōnglǐ) - Kilometer. The unit of distance used to calculate the fare beyond the **起步价**. | |
| * [[总价]] (zǒngjià) - Total price. A more general term for the final cost of anything, including a taxi ride. | |