往 + Direction (toward)

• Pinyin: wǎng
• Formation: 往 + Direction / Place + Verb
• Hanzi breakdown: 往 = 彳 (step) + 主 (lord/main)

Meaning

Use 往 (wǎng) before a direction or place to indicate the direction of movement, meaning 'toward' or 'in the direction of.' It is commonly paired with verbs of motion like 走 (walk), 跑 (run), or 看 (look).

往 is a directional preposition that specifies which way an action is directed. It always appears before the direction word or place noun, forming a directional phrase that modifies the following verb. Common combinations include 往前走 (walk forward), 往左拐 (turn left), and 往南开 (drive south). Unlike 到 which emphasizes arrival at a destination, 往 emphasizes the direction of movement without implying arrival. In spoken Chinese, 往 is sometimes interchangeable with 朝 (cháo), though 往 is more common in everyday speech and especially in giving directions. Note that 往 typically takes monosyllabic direction words like 前、后、左、右、上、下、东、南、西、北, or short place names.

Examples

1. 你往前走两百米就能看到银行了。 Walk forward two hundred meters and you'll see the bank.
2. 别往右拐，往左拐才对。 Don't turn right, turn left instead.
3. 他往窗外看了一眼。 He glanced out the window.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 出了地铁站往右走就到了。
• 别往那边走，路不好走。
• 她往教室的方向跑去。

Don't Say

• 往到学校走。(往 indicates direction, not destination — use 往学校走 without 到, or use 走到学校 without 往) → 往学校走。
• 他走往前。(往 must come before the direction word, not after the verb — say 他往前走) → 他往前走。

Origin & History

The character 往 combines 彳 (step) and 主 (lord/main), suggesting the idea of stepping toward a main destination. It has been used since ancient Chinese to indicate the direction of travel.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal