How to use 往
往 + Direction / Place + Verb; Selected Motion Verb + 往 + Destination
往 points an action toward a direction or place. In everyday sentences, put 往 before the direction phrase and place the movement or action verb afterward. It can describe walking, turning, looking, or sending something in a particular direction. The expression emphasizes orientation; it does not automatically say the destination was reached.
Certain written combinations reverse this arrangement, placing 往 after a short movement verb and before the destination. These occur in descriptions of transport and shipping, so learn them as established combinations. 往下 also has an extended meaning with speaking, reading, and similar activities: continuing further through the material, often after a pause or interruption in the activity.
Examples with pinyin and English
一直往前走。
Go straight ahead.
往左拐。
Turn left.
往上看。
Look up there.
那个小偷往东跑了。
That thief ran towards the east.
What to remember
- Everyday order is 往 + Direction + Verb.
- Selected formal verbs can precede 往.
- 往下 can mean continue further.
Practise the pattern
Practise this topic with the app’s grammar exercises. Your answers and review dates are saved separately from vocabulary practice.
Practise this grammar topic ↗Look up the grammar words
Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.