Usage note
预订是提前告诉别人你想要某个东西或服务。
Yùdìng shì tíqián gàosu biérén nǐ xiǎng yào mǒu gè dōngxi huò fúwù.
Reserve is to tell someone in advance that you want a certain thing or service.
Context note
我们常常预订酒店房间、餐厅座位或者电影票。
Wǒmen chángcháng yùdìng jiǔdiàn fángjiān, cāntīng zuòwèi huòzhě diànyǐng piào.
We often reserve hotel rooms, restaurant seats, or movie tickets.
5 examples
我预订了明天晚上的电影票。
wǒ yù dìng le míng tiān wǎn shàng de diàn yǐng piào。
I reserved movie tickets for tomorrow evening.
妈妈预订了一家餐厅的座位。
mā ma yù dìng le yì jiā cān tīng de zuò wèi。
Mom reserved a seat at a restaurant.
我们预订了去北京的火车票。
wǒ men yù dìng le qù běi jīng de huǒ chē piào。
We reserved train tickets to Beijing.
爸爸预订了一个酒店房间。
bà ba yù dìng le yí gè jiǔ diàn fáng jiān。
Dad reserved a hotel room.
我预订了图书馆的书。
wǒ yù dìng le tú shū guǎn de shū。
I reserved a book from the library.
5 mini stories
小红预订了生日蛋糕。她很高兴。
xiǎo hóng yù dìng le shēng rì dàn gāo。 tā hěn gāo xìng。
Xiao Hong reserved a birthday cake. She is very happy.
小明预订了游乐园的门票。他期待去玩。
xiǎo míng yù dìng le yóu lè yuán de mén piào。 tā qī dài qù wán。
Xiao Ming reserved tickets to the amusement park. He looks forward to going.
小丽预订了去海边的车票。她喜欢大海。
xiǎo lì yù dìng le qù hǎi biān de chē piào。 tā xǐ huan dà hǎi。
Xiao Li reserved tickets to the seaside. She likes the sea.
小刚预订了足球比赛的门票。他喜欢踢足球。
xiǎo gāng yù dìng le zú qiú bǐ sài de mén piào。 tā xǐ huan tī zú qiú。
Xiao Gang reserved tickets to the football game. He likes playing football.
小华预订了动物园的票。他想看熊猫。
xiǎo huá yù dìng le dòng wù yuán de piào。 tā xiǎng kàn xióng māo。
Xiao Hua reserved tickets to the zoo. He wants to see pandas.
Mini dialogue
预订餐厅
A
我们晚上去吃饭，需要预订座位吗？
Wǒmen wǎn shàng qù chī fàn, xū yào yù dìng zuò wèi ma?
We are going to eat dinner tonight; do we need to reserve a seat?
B
是的，我已经预订了六点的桌子。
Shì de, wǒ yǐ jīng yù dìng le liù diǎn de zhuō zi.
Yes, I have already reserved a table for six o'clock.
预订酒店
A
假期旅行前，我们要预订酒店。
Jià qī lǚ xíng qián, wǒmen yào yù dìng jiǔ diàn.
Before the holiday trip, we need to reserve a hotel.
B
好的，我马上在网上预订。
Hǎo de, wǒ mǎ shàng zài wǎng shàng yù dìng.
Okay, I will reserve online right away.
Related words and contrasts
similar
预约
yù yuē
make an appointment
Both involve arranging something in advance; 预订 is for tickets, rooms, etc., while 预约 is for appointments.
opposite
取消
qǔ xiāo
cancel
预订 means to reserve, 取消 means to cancel the reservation.
related
订单
dìng dān
order
A 预订 often results in an 订单 (order).