seon6 fung1 ce1順風車顺风车
Jyutpingseon6 fung1 ce1
Yaleseuhn fūng chē
Definition
A free ride in a vehicle going in the same direction; to hitchhike.
colloquialtransport
How it's used
Implies a favor rather than a commercial service, often between friends or colleagues who happen to be heading in the same direction. It emphasizes the convenience of the route being shared, rather than the act of hitchhiking in the Western sense of standing on a highway. Using this term suggests a casual, friendly relationship between the driver and the passenger.
Measure word
cing4程chìnghExamples
Are you going to work tomorrow? Can I give you a ride?
He was driving to work this morning and gave me a ride along the way.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a taxi or ride-hailing service like Uber, as it specifically refers to a non-commercial, favor-based arrangement. Expecting a stranger to give you a ride just because you ask for a 順風車 is considered rude or unsafe in Hong Kong.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
