How do I say 'taxi / get a taxi'?

打车 is the umbrella verb for “get a car” — it covers yellow taxis, Didi, and any paid ride. But in 2026 China, 打车 almost always means opening the Didi app (滴滴出行). Street-hailing an empty taxi is possible in some areas but increasingly unreliable; most taxis are also on the Didi platform.

The driver is addressed as 师傅 (shīfu) — a traditional term of respect for skilled workers that covers taxi drivers, chefs, mechanics, and craftsmen. It is warm, respectful, and standard. Using 司机 (sījī — driver) is also correct but slightly more formal.

The ride-hailing script: you book on the app, the app shows the driver’s plate number and location, and when they arrive you confirm 尾号 (the last digits of your phone number) to verify you are the right passenger. The phrase 尾号是 + [numbers] is the standard pickup confirmation.

For communicating your destination: 我去 + [place] is the simplest. 你知道怎么走吗？(“do you know how to get there?”) is useful when your destination is obscure.