Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Study in the app →

Help improve this content. If something looks off, let us know →

Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 6

问路 Asking directions

Wèn lù

Asking a local for directions. Introduces 怎么 + V (how to do) and 往 + 方位 + V (direction adverbial).

请问怎么走? — Excuse me, how to get there?

  1. 林雪 hǎosi, xiǎngxiàngnínwèn. Excuse me, I'd like to ask you for directions.
  2. 路人 xiǎng? Where do you want to go?
  3. 林雪 gōngyuánzěnmezǒu? How do I get to the park?
  4. 路人 yuǎn, zhícháoqiánzǒujiùdào. Not far — head straight forward and you'll get there.
  5. 林雪 zhízǒuma? gàiduōyuǎn? Just straight? About how far?
  6. 路人 gàishífēnzhōng. gōngyuánzàiyòubiān. About ten minutes. The park's on the right.
  7. 林雪 tàihǎole, xièxiènín! Great — thank you!

往左拐 — Turn left

  1. 林雪 qǐngwèn, zhèbiānyǒujiǔdiànma? Excuse me — any hotels around here?
  2. 路人 yǒu. qiánmiàndekǒuwǎngzuǒguǎijiùshì. Yes. Turn left at the intersection ahead — it's right there.
  3. 林雪 wǎngzuǒguǎihòuháiyàozǒuduōyuǎn? How far after turning left?
  4. 路人 yuǎn. jiǔdiànzàizuǒbiān, jiàojìn. Not far. The hotel's on your left, fairly close.
  5. 林雪 hòumiàngelóushìjiǔdiànma? Is the big building behind also a hotel?
  6. 路人 shì. geshìgōngyuán, zàijiǔdiàndehòumiàn. No — that's the park, behind the hotel.
  7. 林雪 zhōngzhǎodàole, xièxiè! menkuàihuífángjiānxiūxi. Found it at last, thanks! Let's hurry back to the room and rest.
汉字PinyinTừ loạiNghĩa
问路 wènlù v. ask directions
zǒu v. walk; go (recall Bk1)
wǎng v. toward; to (direction)
左边 zuǒbian n. left side (recall Bk1)
右边 yòubian n. right side (recall Bk1)
前面 qiánmiàn n. front; ahead (recall Bk1)
后面 hòumiàn n. back; behind (recall Bk1)
yuǎn adj. far (recall Bk1)
jìn adj. near (recall Bk1)
路口 lùkǒu n. intersection
一直 yìzhí adv. straight; all along
guǎi v. turn (a corner)
公园 gōngyuán n. park (recall Bk1)
大概 dàgài adv. about; approximately
林雪 Lín Xuě pn. Lin Xue (persona — recall ch01)
汉字PinyinTừ loạiNghĩa
cháo
guǎi turn (a corner)
xiào

wǎng toward; to Viết

8 strokes left-right

zhí straight (in 一直) Viết

8 strokes single

yuǎn far (recall Bk1) Nhận biết

7 strokes left-right

jìn near (recall Bk1) Nhận biết

7 strokes left-right

gài approximately (in 大概) Nhận biết

13 strokes left-right

介词 朝 — 朝某个方向 (三22) Preposition 朝 — facing/toward a direction (三22)

朝 + 方位 / 对象 + 动词, 表示动作面对的方向. 朝南走 / 朝左看 / 朝我笑. 大门朝南开. 朝 多用于具体的方向或面对的对象, 和"往"(二级)意思接近, 但"朝"更强调"面对着".

`朝 + direction/target + verb` shows the direction an action faces. 朝南走 (walk southward) / 朝左看 (look left) / 朝我笑 (smile at me). 大门朝南开 (the gate faces south). Close to Band 2's 往, but 朝 stresses "facing toward".

  • 大门朝南开. Dà mén cháo nán kāi. The gate faces south.
  • 你朝前走就到了. Nǐ cháo qián zǒu jiù dào le. Walk straight ahead and you'll be there.
  • 他朝我笑了笑. Tā cháo wǒ xiào le xiào. He smiled at me.
  • 朝左走就是酒店. Cháo zuǒ zǒu jiùshì jiǔdiàn. Go left and there's the hotel.

介词 向² — 向某人做某事 (三24) Preposition 向² — toward a person (三24)

上一课 (grammar-01) 的 朝 多指具体方向. 本课的 向 + 对象 + 动词 更抽象, 指"朝某个人做某事". 向老师学习 / 向他问路 / 向大家介绍. 这里的"向"不是走的方向, 而是动作的对象. 常和 学习 / 请假 / 问 / 介绍 搭配.

Grammar-01's 朝 is mostly physical direction. `向 + person + verb` is more abstract — doing something TOWARD a person. 向老师学习 (learn from the teacher) / 向他问路 (ask him directions) / 向大家介绍 (introduce to everyone). Pairs with 学习 / 请假 / 问 / 介绍.

  • 我们要向老师学习. Wǒmen yào xiàng lǎoshī xuéxí. We should learn from the teacher.
  • 你可以向他问路. Nǐ kěyǐ xiàng tā wèn lù. You can ask him for directions.
  • 我向大家介绍一下. Wǒ xiàng dàjiā jièshào yíxià. Let me introduce (this) to everyone.
  • 向别人学习是好事. Xiàng biérén xuéxí shì hǎoshì. Learning from others is a good thing.

Want to actually learn this — with audio, spaced repetition and progress tracking?

Study in the app →

Report an issue

Spotted an error or have a suggestion? Every report helps us improve this content.