Expressing "toward" with "wang"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Although 往 (wǎng) simply means "towards," it's not used as often as certain other prepositions and also has a few special use cases, so it warrants a little extra attention.
Contents
Used as "Towards"
往 (wǎng) is a preposition that means "towards" and precedes the verb it modifies.
Used before a Verb
This is the common one used in everyday speech.
Structure
Adding 往 (wǎng) with a location or place word indicates the direction of an action. Remember that the verb comes after this 往 phrase.
往 + Direction / Place + Verb
Examples
- 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.
- 不要 往 楼下 扔 垃圾 。Don't throw trash downstairs.
- 不要 往 小孩 嘴巴 里 塞 东西 了 ！Stop stuffing food in the kid's mouth!
Used after a Verb
In written language, 往 (wǎng) can also be used after a few monosyllabic verbs, which are then followed by location nouns.
Structure
Verb + 往 + Direction / Place
Examples
- 开 往 北京 的 火车 the train that goes to Beijing
- 飞 往 纽约 的 飞机 the airplane that flies to New York
- 运 往 国外 的 货物 cargo that is shipped overseas
往下 as "Keep Going"
往下 (wǎng xià) expresses "keep going," implying that the process has been interrupted before. The verbs that follow are usually communication or sensory verbs: speak (说), read (读), write (写), watch (看), and listen (听) are common.
Examples
- 往 下 说 。Keep talking.
- 往 下 读 。 Keep reading.
- 你 往 下 看 就 知道 了 。Keep reading and you'll see.
