不打表

bùdǎbiǎo

phrase

Meanings

1 to not run the meter (of a taxi)
2 to refuse to use the meter (and charge a negotiated flat fare instead)

Characters

to hit / operate

Examples

机场很多黑车都不打表。

Jīchǎng hěn duō hēichē dōu bù dǎbiǎo.

Many unlicensed cabs at the airport don't run the meter.

他不打表，要一百块到市中心。

Tā bù dǎbiǎo, yào yī bǎi kuài dào shì zhōngxīn.

He refuses to use the meter and wants 100 yuan to downtown.

Tips

usage

不打表 is a classic red flag for taxi scams in China, especially at airports and train stations. Legitimate licensed taxis are required to use the meter (打表); if a driver refuses, either insist or find another car. Apps like 滴滴 (Didi) solve this by locking the price before pickup.

Stroke Order

不 bù

打 dǎ

表 biǎo