In this class, we’ll learn one of the most important skills for any traveller: asking for and giving directions in Mandarin Chinese. Knowing how to find your way around is essential for getting about with confidence in a Chinese-speaking country.
Lesson: Direction and directions (方向与指路)
Movement and Rotation Vocabulary
To give directions, we first need to know the action verbs and the basic directions:
Turn: 轉 (traditional) / 转 (simplified) — zhuǎn.
Towards: 往 — wáng.
Right: 右 — yòu.
Left: 左 — zuǒ.
Straight ahead / Continuously: 一直 — yī zhí or 直 — zhí.
Common action phrases:
往右轉 / 往右转 (wáng yòu zhuàn).
Turn right.
一直走 (yī zhí zǒu)
Go straight ahead.
Places and landmarks
It is essential to recognise these key points so that you know where to turn or stop:
| English | Chino (trad./simpl.) | Pinyin | Usage / context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic light | 紅綠燈 / 红绿灯 | hóng lǜ dēng | Crossing streets |
| Intersection | 路口 | lù kǒu | Giving directions |
| Train station | 火車站 / 火车站 | huǒ chē zhàn | Transport |
| Bus station | 車站 / 车站 | chē zhàn | Urban transport |
| Park | 公園 / 公园 | gōng yuán | Leisure |
| Hotel | 旅館 | lǚ guǎn | Accommodation |
| Airport | 機場 / 机场 | jī chǎng | Travel |
| Metro | 地鐵 / 地铁 | dì tiě | Urban transport |
| Hospital | 醫院 / 医院 | yī yuàn | Emergencies |
| Police station | 警察局 | jǐng chá jú | Security |
| Bank | 銀行 / 银行 | yín háng | Money |
| Restaurant | 餐廳 / 餐厅 | cān tīng | Eating |
| Shopping mall | 商場 / 商场 | shāng chǎng | Shopping |
| School | 學校 / 学校 | xué xiào | Education |
| Public restroom | 廁所 / 厕所 | cè suǒ | Basic needs |
医院在路口旁边。(Yī yuàn zài lù kǒu páng biān)
The hospital is next to the junction.
我去公园。 (Wǒ qù gōng yuán)
I’m going to the park.
Statuses and confirmation
- To arrive / To go to: 到 (dào).
- We’ve arrived / I’ve arrived: 到了 (dào le).
- We’re almost there: 快到了 (kuài dào le).
- To stop: 停 (tíng).
- OK / All right: 好的 (hǎo de).
Practice Dialogue: Looking for the Station
Imagine you’re lost and need to get to the train station. Here’s how to ask for directions and understand the answer:
Question (You):
請問，你知道火車站在哪兒
(Qǐng wèn, nǐ zhī dào huǒ chē zhàn zài nǎ’er?)
Excuse me, do you know where the train station is?
Answer (Passer-by):
知道。一直走，到了路口往右轉。直走經過公園，然後往左轉。火車站就在那
(Zhī dào. Yī zhí zǒu, dào le lù kǒu wǎng yòu zhuǎn. Zhí zǒu jīng guò gōng yuán, rán hòu wǎng zuǒ zhuǎn. Huǒ chē zhàn jiù zài nà.)
I know. Go straight ahead and turn right at the junction. Carry on straight past the park and then turn left. The train station is right there.
Evaluation
Match the words
Match the words for places and landmarks in Spanish and Chinese.
Match the Words!
Quiz
