Left & Right (Directions) in Chinese 方向
fāngxiàng
Left / right in Chinese are 左 / 右 (zuǒ / yòu).
Also searched for as: left right, directions, turn left, straight ahead.
Which way do you go? 15 essential directions words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
方向 (fāng xiàng) means direction, and these words help you give and understand directions around town. The building blocks are 左 (zuǒ), left, 右 (yòu), right, and 一直走 (yī zhí zǒu), go straight on, along with position words like 旁边 (páng biān), next to, and 对面 (duì miàn), opposite, which tell you exactly where a place is.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 左 | zuǒ | left |
| 右 | yòu | right |
| 前面 | qián miàn | in front |
| 后面 | hòu mian | behind |
| 旁边 | páng biān | beside |
| 对面 | duì miàn | opposite |
| 一直走 | yī zhí zǒu | go straight on |
| 拐 | guǎi | to turn |
| 路口 | lù kǒu | junction |
| 红绿灯 | hóng lǜ dēng | traffic lights |
| 东 | dōng | east |
| 南 | nán | south |
| 西 | xī | west |
| 北 | běi | north |
| 地图 | dì tú | map |
Usage tips
- 往 (wǎng) means 'towards' and starts most directions, as in 往左拐 (wǎng zuǒ guǎi), turn left, or 往前走 (wǎng qián zǒu), keep going straight.
- In northern cities such as Beijing, whose streets largely follow a grid, people often give directions with compass points, as in 往东走 (wǎng dōng zǒu), head east, rather than left and right.
- Add 边 (biān) or 面 (miàn) to make location words, as in 左边 (zuǒ biān), on the left, and 后面 (hòu miàn), behind.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 前面 (qián miàn), ahead or in front, and 以前 (yǐ qián), before in time; for places use 前面, as in 银行在前面 (yín háng zài qián miàn).
- Saying 在银行的右 without 边; position words need it, so say 在银行右边 (zài yín háng yòu biān).
Mini dialogue
- A请问，火车站在哪儿？Qǐng wèn, huǒ chē zhàn zài nǎr?Excuse me, where's the railway station?
- B一直走，到第二个路口往左拐。Yī zhí zǒu, dào dì èr gè lù kǒu wǎng zuǒ guǎi.Go straight on, then turn left at the second junction.
- A远吗？Yuǎn ma?Is it far?
- B不远，就在银行对面。Bù yuǎn, jiù zài yín háng duì miàn.Not far, it's right opposite the bank.
Example sentences
- 到了路口往左走。Go left when you get to the junction.
- 银行在你右边。The bank is on your right.
- 超市就在前面。The supermarket is just ahead.
- 停车场在大楼后面。The car park is behind the building.
- 医院旁边有个药店。There's a chemist next to the hospital.
- 学校对面是公园。The park is opposite the school.
- 一直走就到火车站了。Go straight on and you'll reach the station.
- 在第二个路口往右拐。Turn right at the second junction.
- 前面的路口有个银行。There's a bank at the next junction.
- 过了红绿灯再左拐。Turn left after the traffic lights.
- 太阳从东边出来。The sun rises in the east.
- 广州在中国的南方。Guangzhou is in the south of China.
- 商场在火车站西边。The shopping centre is west of the railway station.
- 北京在中国北方。Beijing is in the north of China.
- 我们看看地图吧。Let's have a look at the map.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Directions speaking island has 8 everyday questions about directions to prepare your own answers to.