直奔

• Pinyin: zhí bèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 直 = 十 + 目 + 一 (straight); 奔 = 大 + 卉 (person running urgently)

Meaning

To head straight for; to go directly to. Moving purposefully toward a destination without detours.

Implies urgency, purpose, and directness. Often used with 主题 in 直奔主题 (get straight to the point). The 奔 is pronounced bèn (4th tone) when meaning 'head toward' rather than bēn (1st tone) for 'run'.

Examples

1. 他一下飞机就直奔医院，探望病重的父亲。 The moment he got off the plane, he went straight to the hospital to visit his seriously ill father.
2. 会议开始后，主持人直奔主题，没有多余的寒暄。 Once the meeting started, the host went straight to the point with no extra small talk.
3. 孩子们放学后直奔游乐场，迫不及待地想要玩耍。 After school, the kids headed straight for the playground, eager to start playing.

Usage Guide

Context: movement, communication, urgency

Tone: dynamic

Do Say

• 开会时间紧迫，我们直奔主题吧。(Meeting time is tight — let's get straight to the point.)
• 他下班后直奔超市，赶在关门前买到了所需物品。(After work, he headed straight for the supermarket and bought what he needed before closing.)

Don't Say

• 我直奔地走 — redundant; 直奔 already implies direct movement; just say 我直奔目的地 or 我径直走过去

Origin & History

直 (straight/directly) + 奔 (rush toward) — rushing straight toward

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal