Driving and Rental Cars in Chinese

Driving rules, licenses and insurance conditions differ by place. Confirm them before driving. In an accident or dangerous situation, prioritize safety and local emergency instructions over practicing language.

Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning
我有预订。	Wǒ yǒu yùdìng.	I have a reservation.
车上有划痕。	Chē shàng yǒu huáhén.	There is a scratch on the car.
车坏了。	Chē huài le.	The car has broken down.
我们需要道路救援。	Wǒmen xūyào dàolù jiùyuán.	We need roadside assistance.

Conversation: inspect before leaving

Renter: 这里有一个划痕，可以帮我记下来吗？
(Zhèlǐ yǒu yí ge huáhén, kěyǐ bāng wǒ jì xiàlái ma?)
Staff: 可以，我会写在检查单上。
(Kěyǐ, wǒ huì xiě zài jiǎnchádān shàng.)
Renter: 谢谢，我可以拍照吗？
(Xièxie, wǒ kěyǐ pāizhào ma?)

Photographing the car with the staff’s record is practical, not impolite.

Conversation: call for help

Renter: 车坏了，现在开不动。
(Chē huài le, xiànzài kāi bu dòng.)
Staff: 您在哪里？附近有什么标志？
(Nín zài nǎlǐ? Fùjìn yǒu shénme biāozhì?)
Renter: 我在高速公路出口附近。我们需要道路救援。
(Wǒ zài gāosù gōnglù chūkǒu fùjìn. Wǒmen xūyào dàolù jiùyuán.)

Learn how to say your exact location before a long drive. 开不动 (kāi bu dòng) means it cannot be driven, not merely that you do not want to drive.

Safety language

If you are in danger, say 这里不安全。 (Zhèlǐ bù ānquán.) and move to a safer place only when it is safe to do so.

Related: read the route with directions and transport, and see administration, police and insurance if something goes wrong.

By the end of this chapter, you can say

车坏了。 (Chē huài le.)

Practical note for this chapter

Optional chapters for living, working and studying long-term. Confirm important rules with official sources. In this chapter, practice giving a short response and then checking what matters.

Use it in context

A: 租车时发现问题怎么办？ (Zū chē shí fāxiàn wèntí zěnme bàn?)
B: 车坏了。 (Chē huài le.)

Phrase map for this chapter

Question or situation: 租车时发现问题怎么办？ (Zū chē shí fāxiàn wèntí zěnme bàn?)
Central response: 车坏了。 (Chē huài le.)
Another natural way to say it: 这里有划痕，可以写在检查单上吗？ (Zhèlǐ yǒu huáhén, kěyǐ xiě zài jiǎnchá dān shàng ma?); Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.
How to use it: Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

Turn the model into three conversation turns

1. Open the situation租车时发现问题怎么办？ (Zū chē shí fāxiàn wèntí zěnme bàn?)
2. Say the central response车坏了。 (Chē huài le.)
3. Add an alternative这里有划痕，可以写在检查单上吗？ (Zhèlǐ yǒu huáhén, kěyǐ xiě zài jiǎnchá dān shàng ma?)

Before acting, check the point most likely to cause a misunderstanding. This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

A useful variation

Keep the same purpose, then change the person, time or place to make it your own.

这里有划痕，可以写在检查单上吗？ (Zhèlǐ yǒu huáhén, kěyǐ xiě zài jiǎnchá dān shàng ma?)

Use this variation in a situation you genuinely expect to handle.

Listen to the model once, then say it again with one detail from your own situation.

A common trap

For important details, do not decide from what you think you heard; check written information when needed.

取车前拍照并记录问题，不要事后才提出。 (Qǔ chē qián pāizhào bìng jìlù wèntí, bù yào shìhòu cái tíchū.)

This dialogue is for practice. For important decisions, confirm official guidance as well.

Three-step practice

Open the situation in one short phrase
Say the central response
Add one detail of your own