How to Say “I missed my connection” in Chinese
Getting around · HSK 4
"I missed my connection" in Chinese is 我错过了转机。 (Wǒ cuò guò le zhuǎn jī.). 错过 (cuò guò) means 'to miss' in the sense of missing an opportunity or a connection; different from 想念 (xiǎng niàn, 'to miss a person'). 转机 literally 'switch plane' covers both layovers and the act of connecting.
Primary translation
我错过了转机。
Wǒ cuò guò le zhuǎn jī.
Traditional: 我錯過了轉機。
Variants by register
Formal
我没能赶上转机航班。
Wǒ méi néng gǎn shàng zhuǎn jī háng bān.
Casual
我转机没赶上。
Wǒ zhuǎn jī méi gǎn shàng.
When to use it
错过 (cuò guò) means 'to miss' in the sense of missing an opportunity or a connection; different from 想念 (xiǎng niàn, 'to miss a person'). 转机 literally 'switch plane' covers both layovers and the act of connecting. If you need to rebook at a Chinese airport counter, the staff will ask for your 登机牌 (dēng jī pái, boarding pass) and 护照 (hù zhào). A useful follow-up is 能帮我改签吗? (Can you rebook me?); 改签 is the specific verb airlines use.
Example sentences
前一段航班晚点，我错过了转机。
Qián yí duàn háng bān wǎn diǎn, wǒ cuò guò le zhuǎn jī.
The previous flight was late, so I missed my connection.
能帮我改签下一班吗？
Néng bāng wǒ gǎi qiān xià yì bān ma?
Can you rebook me on the next flight?
下一班要等六个小时。
Xià yì bān yào děng liù ge xiǎo shí.
The next flight is a six-hour wait.