Directions in Chinese: 50+ Words, Phrases and a Free Quiz

Q: How do you say Left & Right in Chinese?

Left zuǒ biān 左边 Right yòu biān 右边

A Complete Guide to 51 Different Directions in Chinese

Navigating a new city or country can be daunting, but knowing how to ask for directions can make all the difference.

The four basic directions in Chinese are 东 (dōng, East), 南 (nán, South), 西 (xī, West) and 北 (běi, North), traditionally said in the order 东南西北.

Left is 左 (zuǒ) and right is 右 (yòu). To ask the way, start with 请问 (qǐngwèn), then use 在哪里 (zài nǎ lǐ, where is…?) or 怎么走 (zěn me zǒu, how to get there?).

Expect answers like 一直走 (go straight) and 往左拐 (turn left).

Whether you’re traveling, living abroad, or simply learning the language, understanding basic directional words in Chinese is an essential skill.

This guide walks you through the key phrases and vocabulary you need to confidently find your way around.

All words come with characters, pinyin, and English translations, so if you are new to reading pinyin, check out our primer on Chinese characters and pinyin basics first.

From basic directional terms and describing locations to asking for directions and navigating public transportation, we’ve got you covered.

By the end of this guide of 50+ key words and phrases, you’ll be ready to explore Chinese-speaking cities with ease!

⬇️⬇️ Don’t miss our Directions Quiz below ⬇️⬇️

Basic Directional Words
Describing Locations
Asking for Directions
Navigating Public Transportation
Directions in Chinese – QUIZ

Directions in Chinese | Beginner Chinese — **Want to unlock all the directions in Chinese now?** Check out our video on YouTube!

1. Directions in Chinese || Basic Directional Words

First, let’s cover the essential words to describe directions, so you know what to say when you’re pointing somewhere. All four cardinal directions plus left, right, and the combined compass points are here.

TIP💡 A quick memory trick: picture the sun rising in the 东 (dōng – East), setting in the 西 (xī – West), warming the 南 (nán – South), and pointing toward the cold 北 (běi – North). That single image locks in all four for good.

One cultural note worth knowing: Chinese traditionally orders the compass as 东南西北 (dōng-nán-xī-běi), which is East-South-West-North, rather than the English North-South-East-West. You’ll hear this sequence in everyday speech and see it in place names all over Beijing and Shanghai.

➡️ 东 (dōng) – East

^{tài yáng cóng dōng biān shēng qǐ}

太阳从东边升起。

_{The sun rises in the east.}

⬅️ 西 (xī) – West

^{tú shū guǎn zài xué xiào de xī biān}

图书馆在学校的西边。

_{The library is on the west side of the school.}

⬇️ 南 (nán) – South

^{chāo shì zài jiē dào de nán biān}

超市在街道的南边。

_{The supermarket is on the south side of the street.}

⬆️ 北 (běi) – North

^{běi biān yǒu yī gè hěn dà de gōng yuán}

北边有一个很大的公园。

_{There’s a big park to the north.}

Combined compass directions work by pairing East or West first, then North or South:

东北 (dōngběi) – Northeast
东南 (dōngnán) – Southeast
西北 (xīběi) – Northwest
西南 (xīnán) – Southwest

So if someone tells you the hotel is 往东南方向走 (wǎng dōngnán fāngxiàng zǒu), they mean ‘walk in a southeast direction’.

Common Chinese Mistake // Learn Directions in Mandarin — Here’s how to avoid a common mistake when talking about directions in Chinese 🗺️

左 (zuǒ) – Left (also written 左边 zuǒbiān)

右 (yòu) – Right (also written 右边 yòubiān)

前 (qián) – Front / In front (also 前面 qiánmiàn)

后 (hòu) – Behind / Back (also 后面 hòumiàn)

里面 (lǐ miàn) – Inside

^{cān tīng zài shāng chǎng lǐ miàn}

餐厅在商场里面。

_{The restaurant is inside the mall.}

外面 (wài miàn) – Outside

^{wài miàn zhèng zài xià yǔ}

外面正在下雨。

_{It’s raining outside.}

旁边 (páng biān) – Beside / Next to

^{yín háng zài chāo shì páng biān}

银行在超市旁边。

_{The bank is next to the supermarket.}

对面 (duì miàn) – Opposite / Across From

^{diàn yǐng yuàn jiù zài xué xiào duì miàn}

电影院就在学校对面。

_{The cinema is right across from the school.}

2. Directions in Chinese || Describing Locations

There are certain occasions when you describe something not in a specific place but in the surrounding environment and its relations.

So you can use these location words (方位词, fāngwèicí), which describe where something sits in relation to something else.

尽头 (jìn tóu) – End of

^{zài zhè tiáo lù de jìn tóu zuǒ zhuǎn}

在这条路的尽头左转。

_{Turn left at the end of this road.}

附近 (fù jìn) – Nearby

^{wǒ men jiù zài fù jìn}

我们就在附近。

_{We’re just nearby.}

中间 (zhōng jiān) – In the middle

^{shāng chǎng zài zhè liǎng gè jiàn zhù de zhōng jiān}

商场在这两个建筑的中间。

_{The mall is in the middle of these two buildings.}

周围 (zhōu wéi) – Around / Surrounding

^{xué xiào zhōu wéi yǒu hěn duō cān guǎn}

学校周围有很多餐馆。

_{There are many restaurants around the school.}

角落 (jiǎo luò) – Corner

^{māo duǒ zài fáng jiān de jiǎo luò lǐ}

猫躲在房间的角落里。

_{The cat is hiding in the corner of the room.}

The Complete Guide to Countries & Capitals in Chinese

You may know how to say China in Chinese but what about other countries? Let’s learn how to name all the countries and their capital cities in Chinese.

上面 (shàng miàn) – Above / On top of

^{shū zài zhuō zi shàng miàn}

书在桌子上面。

_{The book is on top of the table.}

下面 (xià miàn) – Below / Underneath

^{māo zài yǐ zi xià miàn}

猫在椅子下面。

_{The cat is underneath the chair.}

两旁 (liǎng páng) – On both sides

^{zhè tiáo lù de liǎng páng dōu shì shù}

这条路的两旁都是树。

_{There are trees on both sides of the road.}

对角线 (duì jiǎo) – Diagonally

^{kā fēi guǎn zài chāo shì de duì jiǎo}

咖啡馆在超市的对角。

_{The café is diagonally opposite the supermarket.}

3. Directions in Chinese || Asking for Directions

Now you know how to describe locations. This section covers the words and patterns you need to ask for directions and to give them.

Starting politely matters. Before you ask anything, open with one of these two phrases:

请问 (qǐngwèn) – Excuse me / May I ask… (formal, respectful)
不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si) – Sorry to bother you / Excuse me (warm, slightly apologetic)

Both signal politeness before your question. In practice you’ll hear both in Beijing and Shanghai every day.

The key grammar pattern: A + 在 + B + location word

The A + 在 + B + location word pattern is the sentence structure you need most. It tells you where something is in relation to something else:

银行在超市旁边。(Yínháng zài chāoshì pángbiān.) – The bank is next to the supermarket.
地铁站在路口的北边。(Dìtiězhàn zài lùkǒu de běibiān.) – The metro station is on the north side of the intersection.

Note the difference between 在 (zài) and 有 (yǒu) for location:

在 (zài) answers ‘where is X?’ (subject + 在 + place): 书店在哪里？
有 (yǒu) answers ‘what is there at Y?’ (place + 有 + object): 路口旁边有一家书店。

The 往 (wǎng) pattern: 往 + direction + verb

When you give or receive a direction instruction, 往 sets the direction and a movement verb follows:

往左拐 (wǎng zuǒ guǎi) – Turn left
往右转 (wǎng yòu zhuǎn) – Turn right
往前走 (wǎng qián zǒu) – Walk forward / Go straight ahead

Core giving-directions phrases

直走 (zhí zǒu) or 一直走 (yīzhí zǒu) – Go straight
向左拐 (xiàng zuǒ guǎi) – Turn left
向右拐 (xiàng yòu guǎi) – Turn right
然后 (ránhòu) – Then (connecting steps)
就到了 (jiù dào le) – And you’re there / You’ve arrived

A typical set of directions might sound like: 一直走，然后在红绿灯处往左拐，就到了。(Yīzhí zǒu, ránhòu zài hónglǜdēng chù wǎng zuǒ guǎi, jiù dào le.) – Go straight, then turn left at the traffic lights, and you’re there.

去 (qù) – To go

^{wǒ gāi zěn me qù huǒ chē zhàn}

我该怎么去火车站？

_{How do I get to the train station?}

过 (guò) – Cross

^{qǐng guò mǎ lù hòu xiàng yòu zǒu}

请过马路后向右走。

_{Please cross the street and then turn right.}

靠近 (kào jìn) – Near

^{zhè jiā kā fēi diàn kào jìn nǎr}

这家咖啡店靠近哪儿？

_{Where is this café near?}

在哪里 (zài nǎ lǐ) – Where is…?

^{qǐng wèn xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎ lǐ}

请问洗手间在哪里？

_{Excuse me, where is the restroom?}

怎么走 (zěn me zǒu) – How to get there?

^{dào huǒ chē zhàn zěn me zǒu}

到火车站怎么走？

_{How do I get to the train station?}

离 (lí) – Away from / Distance from

^{zhè lǐ lí zuì jìn de dì tiě zhàn yǒu duō yuǎn}

这里离最近的地铁站有多远？

_{How far is the nearest subway station from here?}

往 (wǎng) – Towards

^{wǎng qián zǒu, nǐ huì kàn dào yī gè hóng lǜ dēng}

往前走，你会看到一个红绿灯。

_{Walk towards the front, and you’ll see a traffic light.}

往哪边 (wǎng nǎ biān) – Toward which way?

^{qù bó wù guǎn wǎng nǎ biān zǒu}

去博物馆往哪边走？

_{Which way do I go to get to the museum?}

拐 (guǎi) – Turn (spoken, especially in northern cities)

^{qǐng zài qián miàn de hóng lǜ dēng chù zuǒ guǎi}

请在前面的红绿灯处左拐。

_{Please turn left at the traffic light ahead.}

走多远 (zǒu duō yuǎn) – How far to walk?

^{cóng zhè lǐ dào chāo shì yào zǒu duō yuǎn}

从这里到超市要走多远？

_{How far do I need to walk to get to the supermarket from here?}

沿着 (yán zhe) – Along

^{yán zhe zhè tiáo lù yī zhí zǒu}

沿着这条路一直走。

_{Walk straight along this road.}

LTL Beijing and LTL Beihai Reviewed // Greta Speaks in Chinese

Ready to go beyond vocabulary and master the grammar behind directions?

Visit our Chinese Grammar Bank for structured lessons on 在, 往, location patterns, and more.

4. Directions in Chinese || Navigating Public Transportation

It’s practical to learn some words to navigate public transportation as well.

In cities like Beijing and Shanghai, subways and buses are the fastest way to get around. The system can be complex, so these words will help.

Before you start, one key phrase: 导航 (dǎoháng) means navigation or GPS navigation. You’ll hear it constantly: 开导航 (kāi dǎoháng) means ‘turn on navigation’.

The words for direction (方向, fāngxiàng), route (路线, lùxiàn), and giving directions (指路, zhǐlù) are also worth knowing from day one.

Urban landmark vocabulary you’ll use every day:

地铁站 (dìtiězhàn) – Metro / subway station
路口 (lùkǒu) – Intersection / junction
十字路口 (shízìlùkǒu) – Crossroads (literally ‘cross-shaped intersection’)
红绿灯 (hónglǜdēng) – Traffic lights
马路 (mǎlù) – Road / street

TIP💡 A note on 拐 vs 转: both mean ‘turn’, and you’ll hear both. 拐 (guǎi) is especially common in spoken Mandarin in northern cities like Beijing; 转 (zhuǎn) is more widely used in standard Mandarin and across cities in the south. Neither is wrong, so don’t worry if you hear both.

TIP💡 Tone pitfalls to watch out for: 左 (zuǒ, 3rd tone, ‘left’) versus 作/坐 (zuò, 4th tone); and 前 (qián, 2nd tone, ‘front/forward’) versus 钱 (qián, 2nd tone, ‘money’). The tones on 前 and 钱 are actually identical, so context is everything.

Getting tones wrong here can literally send someone the wrong way.

Want to work on your tones? Practice your Chinese pronunciation with our free Pronunciation Trainer.

到达 (dào dá) – Arrive

^{huǒ chē shén me shí hòu dào dá běi jīng}

火车什么时候到达北京？

_{When does the train arrive in Beijing?}

出发 (chū fā) – Depart

^{dì tiě jǐ diǎn chū fā}

地铁几点出发？

_{What time does the subway depart?}

前往 (qián wǎng) – Head to

^{wǒ xiàn zài yào qián wǎng dì tiě zhàn}

我现在要前往地铁站。

_{I’m heading to the subway station now.}

经过 (jīng guò) – Pass through

^{zhè tiáo gōng jiāo xiàn lù huì jīng guò shì zhōng xīn ma}

这条公交线路会经过市中心吗？

_{Does this bus route pass through the city center?}

直达 (zhí dá) – Direct

^{yǒu qù jī chǎng de zhí dá chē ma}

有去机场的直达车吗？

_{Is there a direct bus to the airport?}

换乘 (huàn chéng) – Transfer

^{wǒ zài nǎ lǐ huàn chéng qù dì tiě sì hào xiàn}

我在哪里换乘去地铁4号线？

_{Where do I transfer to Line 4 of the subway?}

下一个 (xià yī gè) – Next

^{zài xià yī gè lù kǒu zuǒ zhuǎn}

在下一个路口左转。

_{Turn left at the next intersection.}

出口 (chū kǒu) – Exit

^{qǐng wèn dì tiě de chū kǒu zài nǎ lǐ}

请问地铁的出口在哪里？

_{Excuse me, where is the subway exit?}

上车 (shàng chē) – Get on the bus/train

^{nǐ kě yǐ zài zhè lǐ shàng chē}

你可以在这里上车。

_{You can get on the bus/train here.}

下车 (xià chē) – Get off the bus/train

^{zài dì sān zhàn xià chē}

在第三站下车。

_{Get off at the third stop.}

终点站 (zhōng diǎn zhàn) – Terminal station

^{zhè tàng chē de zhōng diǎn zhàn shì nǎ lǐ}

这趟车的终点站是哪里？

_{Where is the terminal station for this route?}

走过 (zǒu guò) – Walk past

^{zǒu guò liǎng gè lù kǒu jiù dào le}

走过两个路口就到了。

_{Walk past two intersections and you’ll be there.}

Taxi and ride-hailing phrases

If you’re catching a taxi or DiDi (China’s main ride-hailing app), these phrases will get you where you need to go:

师傅，去… (Shīfu, qù…) – Driver, please take me to…
在这里停 (zài zhèlǐ tíng) – Stop here
往前走一点 (wǎng qián zǒu yīdiǎn) – Go a little further ahead
到了吗？(Dào le ma?) – Are we there?

TIP💡 Chinese addresses go from large to small, which is the opposite of English. You start with the city or district, then the street name, then the building number. So instead of ’25 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing’, a Chinese address reads: 北京市东城区王府井大街25号 (Běijīng shì Dōngchéng qū Wángfǔjǐng dàjiē 25 hào). Knowing this helps enormously when reading maps or telling a driver your destination.

Keep practicing all these words. If you can recall them smoothly, you’ll have no trouble getting anywhere. For the numbers you’ll need along the way, check out Mandarin numbers and pinyin.

Want to put these directions into real conversations with a native speaker?

Find your perfect Mandarin program and start practising in context from day one.

Directions in Chinese – QUIZ

BONUS: Why not check out how to say Directions in Japanese and Directions in Spanish!

Directions in Chinese || FAQs

How do you say Up in Chinese?

xiàng shàng

向上

How do you say North in Chinese?

North

běi

北

How do you say Down in Chinese?

Down

xiàng xià

向下

How do you say South in Chinese?

South

nán

南

How do you say West in Chinese?

West

xī

西

How do you say East in Chinese?

East

dōng

东

How do you say Left & Right in Chinese?

Left

zuǒ biān

左边

Right

yòu biān

右边

What are the four cardinal directions in Chinese?

The four cardinal directions in Chinese are: 东 (dōng) for East, 南 (nán) for South, 西 (xī) for West, and 北 (běi) for North.

A quick way to remember them: think of the sun rising in the East (东), setting in the West (西), warming the South (南), and pointing toward the cold North (北).

Chinese traditionally orders these as 东南西北 (East-South-West-North), which is different from the English North-South-East-West sequence.

How do you say northeast (and other intercardinal directions) in Chinese?

Combine the cardinal directions by putting East or West first, then North or South: 东北 (dōngběi) is Northeast, 东南 (dōngnán) is Southeast, 西北 (xīběi) is Northwest, and 西南 (xīnán) is Southwest. For example: 往东北方向走 (wǎng dōngběi fāngxiàng zǒu) means ‘walk in a northeast direction’.

How do you say navigation in Chinese?

Navigation in Chinese is 导航 (dǎoháng). In everyday speech you’ll hear 开导航 (kāi dǎoháng), which means ‘turn on navigation’ or ‘use GPS’.

Related terms include 方向 (fāngxiàng, direction/orientation) and 路线 (lùxiàn, route).

How do you ask for directions politely in Chinese?

Always open with a polite phrase before asking.

The two most useful openers are: 请问 (qǐngwèn), which means ‘Excuse me, may I ask…’, and 不好意思 (bù hǎo yì si), which means ‘Sorry to bother you’ or ‘Excuse me’.

Then follow with your question, for example: 请问，最近的地铁站在哪里？(Qǐngwèn, zuìjìn de dìtiězhàn zài nǎlǐ?) means ‘Excuse me, where is the nearest metro station?’

How do you say ‘go straight’ in Chinese?

Go straight is 直走 (zhí zǒu) or 一直走 (yīzhí zǒu). Both are widely used. For example: 一直走，过了红绿灯就到了。(Yīzhí zǒu, guòle hónglǜdēng jiù dào le.) means ‘Go straight, once you pass the traffic light you’re there.’

How do you say ‘turn left’ and ‘turn right’ in Chinese?

Turn left is 向左拐 (xiàng zuǒ guǎi) or 往左转 (wǎng zuǒ zhuǎn). Turn right is 向右拐 (xiàng yòu guǎi) or 往右转 (wǎng yòu zhuǎn). In spoken Mandarin, especially in northern cities, you’ll often hear the shorter forms 左拐 (zuǒ guǎi) and 右拐 (yòu guǎi).

What is the difference between 拐 (guǎi) and 转 (zhuǎn) for ‘turn’?

Both mean ‘turn’ when giving directions, but they have regional flavours. 拐 (guǎi) is more common in spoken Mandarin in northern cities; 转 (zhuǎn) is standard across all Chinese-speaking regions and is more formal. In practice, locals will understand either, so use whichever feels natural.

What is the correct traditional order of compass directions in Chinese?

The traditional Chinese order is 东南西北 (dōng-nán-xī-běi), East-South-West-North.

This order appears in many Chinese idioms and place names.

The word 东西 (dōngxī), for instance, literally means ‘east-west’ but is the everyday word for ‘things’ or ‘stuff’.

What common mistakes do learners make with direction words in Chinese?

Three common ones:

(1) Tone confusion on 左 (zuǒ, 3rd tone, ‘left’) versus 坐 (zuò, 4th tone, ‘sit’) or 作 (zuò, 4th tone, ‘do’).

(2) Mixing up 前 (qián, ‘front/forward’) and 钱 (qián, ‘money’), which share the same pinyin and tone, so context is essential.

(3) Word-order errors when using 在 for location: the location word comes after the reference landmark (银行在超市旁边, ‘the bank is next to the supermarket’), not before it as in English.

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