How to say "to go on an official or business trip" in Chinese
出差
chū chāi
travel · travel · beginner · formal
When To Use It
"to go on an official or business trip" maps to 出差 (chū chāi), a formal travel phrase for travel situations.
This is useful in transit, hotels, stations, airports, and cross-city logistics where clarity matters more than style.
Practice it first exactly as written, then swap in your own people, places, or objects so it becomes part of your active speaking repertoire.
Tone And Delivery
The register is formal, which means it is better for respectful, official, or carefully worded interactions than for playful small talk.
Because this is marked beginner, you should aim to recognize it instantly and reuse it with your own names, nouns, locations, or numbers.
A good practice target is the example sentence 出差 (chū chāi). Once that feels natural, shorten your pause and try it at conversation speed.
Practice Ideas
This phrase becomes more useful when you learn it as part of a mini-sequence. After saying it, a natural next step could be 卧铺 (wò pù).
A second nearby phrase to review is 城邦 (chéng bāng), which helps you stay in the same topic instead of translating from scratch again.
- Read the example “to go on an official or business trip” aloud, then replace one detail with your own information.
- Pair it with “A bed (on a train)” next so your conversation does not stop after a single line.
- Match the phrase to your tone of voice: soft for polite requests, flatter and quicker for routine daily use.
- If you hear a slightly different version in the wild, compare the tone and context before treating it as interchangeable.
Examples
出差
chū chāi
to go on an official or business trip
Related
- a bed (on a train) — 卧铺 (wò pù)
- a city state (Greek polis) — 城邦 (chéng bāng)
- a narrow street (lined with walls) — 夹道 (jiā dào)
- a place set up to serve a specific function (train station, bus stop, toll plaza, bike rental station, meteorological station etc) — 站点 (zhàn diǎn)
Explore more phrases on the How to say index or try the Chinese Name Generator.
Phrase FAQ
How do you say "to go on an official or business trip" in Chinese?
出差 (chū chāi).
When should I use this phrase?
Use it in travel situations where a formal tone fits. Because it is tagged beginner, it is meant to be practical and reusable rather than literary or highly specialized.
Is pronunciation included?
Yes. Every phrase page includes pinyin with tone marks, plus example sentences so you can hear how the wording expands in real use.
What should I learn next after this phrase?
A useful follow-up is 卧铺 (wò pù) — "a bed (on a train)". Studying connected phrases in small clusters makes them easier to recall in conversation.