出走

• Pinyin: chū zǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = to go out; 走 = 土 + 止 = to walk/leave

Meaning

To run away; to leave home; to flee; to defect.

Describes leaving suddenly, often without permission or notice. Can refer to running away from home, fleeing a situation, or defecting from an organization. Implies leaving due to conflict or dissatisfaction.

Examples

1. 她十六岁就离家出走了。 She ran away from home at sixteen.
2. 那位高管突然出走，加入了竞争对手公司。 That executive suddenly left and joined a competitor.
3. 宠物狗出走三天后被找到了。 The pet dog was found three days after running away.

Usage Guide

Context: family, business, conflict

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 青少年出走的原因往往和家庭矛盾有关。(Teenagers running away is often related to family conflicts.)
• 核心员工出走对公司打击很大。(The departure of key employees dealt a heavy blow to the company.)

Don't Say

• 我出走去上班 (出走 implies fleeing or leaving permanently — for daily commute, just say 出门)

Origin & History

Compound of 出 (to go out) and 走 (to leave/walk). To leave by going away.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal