大概要多久？
dàgài yào duōjiǔ?
Approximately how long does it take to travel?
How to say "Turn on the meter please" in Chinese
请打表。
qǐng dǎbiǎo
Turn on the meter please
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
This is a polite request: qǐng (please) + dǎbiǎo (turn on the meter). 'Dǎ' means 'to hit/operate' and 'biǎo' means 'meter', together meaning 'to start the meter'.
Variations and politeness
请开表
qǐng kāi biǎo
Please turn on the meter — Uses a different verb (kāi) and is more colloquial.
打表
dǎ biǎo
Turn on the meter — Shorter, without the polite 'please'.
请把表打开
qǐng bǎ biǎo dǎkāi
Please open the meter — More formal, using the bǎ construction.
Mini dialogue
A
请打表。
qǐng dǎbiǎo
Please turn on the meter.
B
好的，马上打表。
hǎo de, mǎshàng dǎbiǎo
Okay, I'll turn on the meter right away.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you get into a taxi and want the driver to use the meter.
- When you want to ensure a fair fare based on distance.
- When you want to make a polite request in standard Mandarin.
Avoid when
- When you are in a place where meters are not used, like a rickshaw or negotiated ride.
- When you want to sound aggressive or demanding; this phrase is polite, not forceful.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'turn on the meter please' in Chinese?
You say 'qǐng dǎbiǎo' (请打表). It is a polite way to ask a taxi driver to start the meter.
How do you pronounce '请打表'?
It is pronounced 'qǐng dǎbiǎo', with the third tone on 'qǐng' and 'dǎ', and the third tone on 'biǎo' (often pronounced as a half-third tone in connected speech).
When do you use 'qǐng dǎbiǎo'?
Use it when you get into a taxi and want the driver to use the meter. It is a standard, polite request.
More phrases for this situation
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