往

• Pinyin: wǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 往 = 彳 (step radical) + 主 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Toward; in the direction of. Used to indicate the direction of movement.

A directional preposition that always precedes a direction or place word. The pattern is 往 + direction/place + verb. Essential for giving and understanding directions. Interchangeable with 朝 in most contexts, but 往 is more common in daily speech.

Examples

1. 请往前走，学校就在左边。 Please walk forward — the school is on the left.
2. 你往右拐就能看到那家店。 Turn right and you'll see that shop.
3. 我们一直往南走了很长时间。 We walked south for a long time.

Usage Guide

Context: directions, travel, everyday

Tone: instructional

Do Say

• 往前走两百米就到了。(Walk forward two hundred metres and you'll be there.)
• 从这里往左拐。(Turn left from here.)

Don't Say

• 我往家去了。(Don't use 往 + specific named place for 'go to' — say 我回家了 or 我去家里了. 往 is for directions like 前/后/左/右/东/南.)

Origin & History

Composed of 彳 (step radical) + 主 (lord/master, phonetic). The step radical signals movement, reflecting the word's directional meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal