顺着

• Pinyin: shùn zhe
• Hanzi breakdown: 顺 = 川 + 页 — following the flow; 着 = 羊 (sheep) + 目 (eye) — aspectual particle

Meaning

Along; following; in the direction of. A preposition indicating movement or action that follows a path, direction, or person's wishes.

Functions as a preposition meaning 'along/following' in spatial contexts (顺着河走 — walk along the river) and as a verb phrase meaning 'to go along with someone's wishes' in interpersonal contexts. Very common in both spoken and written Chinese.

Examples

1. 顺着这条小路走约五分钟，就能到达山顶的观景台。 Walk along this path for about five minutes and you’ll reach the observation deck at the top of the mountain.
2. 他不想正面冲突，便顺着对方的话说了下去。 He didn’t want a direct confrontation, so he just went along with what the other person was saying.
3. 泪水顺着她的脸颊悄悄滑落，她没有发出任何声音。 Tears quietly slid down her cheeks, and she didn’t make a sound.

Usage Guide

Context: navigation, conversation, description, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 顺着参观路线走下去，你会依次看到展厅内最重要的几件历史文物。(Following the tour route, you will encounter the most important historical artefacts in the exhibition hall in sequence.)
• 与其正面否定对方的想法，有时顺着他的思路引导会更有效。(Rather than directly refuting the other person's idea, sometimes guiding them along their own line of thinking is more effective.)

Don't Say

• 不能省略 顺着 后的宾语 — 顺着 must be followed by a path, object, or person; it cannot stand alone as a predicate

Origin & History

顺 (along, following) + 着 (aspectual particle indicating ongoing action/state)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal