{"id":53598,"date":"2025-09-29T10:24:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T02:24:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wukongsch.com\/blog\/?p=53598"},"modified":"2026-08-07T17:17:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T09:17:10","slug":"directions-in-chinese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wukongsch.com\/blog\/directions-in-chinese-post-53598\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Say Directions in Chinese: Cardinal Points & Phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The English word “directions” in Chinese corresponds to \u65b9\u5411 (f\u0101ngxi\u00e0ng), which directly translates to “orientation” or “direction,” and the topic splits into two vocabulary sets: cardinal directions \u2014 \u4e1c (d\u014dng, “east”), \u5357 (n\u00e1n, “south”), \u897f (x\u012b, “west”), \u5317 (b\u011bi, “north”) \u2014 and movement instructions such as \u5de6\u8f6c (zu\u01d2 zhu\u01cen, “turn left”) and \u76f4\u8d70 (zh\u00ed z\u01d2u, “go straight”).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese speakers rely on both sets constantly: cardinal directions appear in street names and addresses (\u4e1c\u5927\u8857, “East Main Street”), while movement instructions handle everyday requests like reaching a subway station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Chinese cities often give directions by landmark rather than street number, knowing both sets \u2014 and how to ask for them politely \u2014 matters more here than in many English-speaking countries. The sections below cover each vocabulary set, polite phrases for asking and understanding directions, and the cultural logic behind \u4e1c\u897f (d\u014dngxi), the word for “thing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"directions<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What Do You Call “Directions” in Chinese?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Directions” in Chinese maps to two related but distinct words. \u65b9\u5411 (f\u0101ngxi\u00e0ng) means “direction” in the general sense \u2014 the way something is oriented or heading. \u65b9\u4f4d (f\u0101ngw\u00e8i) refers more specifically to a location’s position relative to the compass points. In everyday conversation and in Chinese classrooms for kids, “directions” usually means one of two things: the four cardinal points (\u4e1c\u5357\u897f\u5317) or the movement instructions used to navigate somewhere (turn left, go straight, cross the street). WuKong’s online Mandarin Chinese classes for kids<\/a> ages 3\u201318 teach both sets together through role-play dialogues, such as asking for directions to a library or explaining where a park is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What Are the Four Cardinal Directions in Chinese?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The four cardinal directions in Chinese are fixed, single-character words that appear constantly in place names, addresses, and weather reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese<\/th>Pinyin<\/th>English<\/th>Example Sentence<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\u5317<\/td>b\u011bi<\/td>north<\/td>\u56fe\u4e66\u9986\u5728\u5317\u8fb9\u3002(T\u00fash\u016bgu\u01cen z\u00e0i b\u011bibi\u0101n.) \u2013 The library is to the north.<\/td><\/tr>
\u5357<\/td>n\u00e1n<\/td>south<\/td>\u5b66\u6821\u5728\u5357\u8fb9\u3002(Xu\u00e9xi\u00e0o z\u00e0i n\u00e1nbi\u0101n.) \u2013 The school is to the south.<\/td><\/tr>
\u4e1c<\/td>d\u014dng<\/td>east<\/td>\u516c\u56ed\u5728\u4e1c\u8fb9\u3002(G\u014dngyu\u00e1n z\u00e0i d\u014dngbi\u0101n.) \u2013 The park is to the east.<\/td><\/tr>
\u897f<\/td>x\u012b<\/td>west<\/td>\u8f66\u7ad9\u5728\u897f\u8fb9\u3002(Ch\u0113zh\u00e0n z\u00e0i x\u012bbi\u0101n.) \u2013 The station is to the west.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A common beginner mistake is dropping the suffix \u8fb9 (bi\u0101n, “side”) or \u65b9 (f\u0101ng, “direction”) when stating where something is \u2014 Chinese normally says \u5317\u8fb9 (b\u011bibi\u0101n, “the north side”) rather than the bare character \u5317 alone when describing a location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>How Do You Say “Turn Left,” “Turn Right,” and “Go Straight” in Chinese?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Movement directions in Chinese come in two registers: a more formal set used on signage and GPS apps, and a more casual set used in everyday speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English Phrase<\/th>Chinese (Formal)<\/th>Chinese (Casual)<\/th>Pinyin (Casual)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Turn left<\/td>\u5411\u5de6\u8f6c<\/td>\u5de6\u8f6c<\/td>zu\u01d2 zhu\u01cen<\/td><\/tr>
Turn right<\/td>\u5411\u53f3\u8f6c<\/td>\u5f80\u53f3\u62d0<\/td>w\u01ceng y\u00f2u gu\u01cei<\/td><\/tr>
Go straight<\/td>\u4e00\u76f4\u5411\u524d<\/td>\u4e00\u76f4\u8d70 \/ \u76f4\u8d70<\/td>y\u00ec zh\u00ed z\u01d2u \/ zh\u00ed z\u01d2u<\/td><\/tr>
Cross the street<\/td>\u2014<\/td>\u8fc7\u9a6c\u8def<\/td>gu\u00f2 m\u01cel\u00f9<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A 2-question check for picking the right register:<\/strong> (1) Is this written on a sign, app, or formal instruction? Use \u5411\u5de6\u8f6c \/ \u5411\u53f3\u8f6c style phrasing. (2) Is this spoken casually to a friend or stranger on the street? Use \u5de6\u8f6c \/ \u5f80\u53f3\u62d0 \/ \u4e00\u76f4\u8d70. Mixing up the two registers won’t cause confusion, but the casual set sounds more natural in spoken conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>How Do You Politely Ask for Directions in Chinese?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Asking for directions politely in Chinese follows a predictable three-part pattern, and each part can be swapped independently depending on the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confirm you understood.<\/strong> \u80fd\u518d\u8bf4\u4e00\u904d\u5417\uff1f(N\u00e9ng z\u00e0i shu\u014d y\u00ed bi\u00e0n ma?, “Could you say that again?”) is the standard follow-up if the answer comes too fast.w\u01ceng)<\/strong> meaning \u201cpeople coming and going from south and north,\u201d show how cardinal directions carry cultural symbolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open politely.<\/strong> \u6253\u6270\u4e00\u4e0b (d\u01cer\u01ceo y\u00edxi\u00e0, “Excuse me \/ sorry to bother you”) or \u8bf7\u95ee (q\u01d0ngw\u00e8n, “May I ask…”) signal that a request is coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask the question.<\/strong> Use “[place] + \u5728\u54ea\u91cc\uff1f” (z\u00e0i n\u01cel\u01d0, “Where is…?”) for a location, or “[place] + \u600e\u4e48\u8d70\uff1f” (z\u011bnme z\u01d2u, “How do I get to…?”) for a route. Example: \u5730\u94c1\u7ad9\u5728\u54ea\u91cc\uff1f(D\u00ecti\u011b zh\u00e0n z\u00e0i n\u01cel\u01d0?) \u2013 “Where is the subway station?” Example: \u53bb\u535a\u7269\u9986\u600e\u4e48\u8d70\uff1f(Q\u00f9 b\u00f3w\u00f9gu\u01cen z\u011bnme z\u01d2u?) \u2013 “How do I get to the museum?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>How Do You Understand the Response When Someone Gives You Directions?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once a local starts giving directions in Chinese, listening for a small set of recurring phrases makes the response easy to follow even at a beginner level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English Phrase<\/th>Chinese<\/th>Pinyin<\/th>Context<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Go straight<\/td>\u4e00\u76f4\u8d70<\/td>y\u00ec zh\u00ed z\u01d2u<\/td>The single most common instruction.<\/td><\/tr>
At the first intersection<\/td>\u5728\u7b2c\u4e00\u4e2a\u8def\u53e3<\/td>z\u00e0i d\u00ec y\u012b g\u00e8 l\u00f9k\u01d2u<\/td>Marks a turning point in the route.<\/td><\/tr>
It’s right there<\/td>\u5c31\u5728\u90a3\u91cc<\/td>ji\u00f9 z\u00e0i n\u00e0l\u01d0<\/td>Signals you’ve nearly arrived.<\/td><\/tr>
Intersection<\/td>\u5341\u5b57\u8def\u53e3<\/td>sh\u00ed z\u00ec l\u00f9k\u01d2u<\/td>Literally “cross-shaped road mouth” \u2014 the character \u5341 (sh\u00ed, “ten”) visually resembles a plus sign.<\/td><\/tr>
Traffic light<\/td>\u7ea2\u7eff\u706f<\/td>h\u00f3ng l\u01dc d\u0113ng<\/td>Literally “red-green light.”<\/td><\/tr>
Across from<\/td>\u5bf9\u9762<\/td>du\u00ecmi\u00e0n<\/td>Literally “opposite face.”<\/td><\/tr>
Next to<\/td>\u65c1\u8fb9<\/td>p\u00e1ngbi\u0101n<\/td>Literally “on the side.”
<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Where Does the Chinese Word for “Thing” (\u4e1c\u897f) Come From?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u4e1c\u897f (d\u014dngxi) \u2014 combining \u4e1c (d\u014dng, “east”) and \u897f (x\u012b, “west”) \u2014 is the everyday Chinese word for “thing” or “stuff,” as in \u4e70\u4e1c\u897f (m\u01cei d\u014dngxi, “to buy things”). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most commonly repeated explanation traces it to the Tang Dynasty capital Chang’an, which had an East Market (\u4e1c\u5e02) and a West Market (\u897f\u5e02); the phrase for shopping at both, “\u4e70\u4e1c\u897f,”is said to have shortened over time into the general word for “goods.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A separate folk theory ties \u4e1c\u897f to the Five Elements (\u4e94\u884c) system, where east\/west (wood\/metal) were seen as tangible, tradable materials unlike north\/south (water\/fire). Whichever theory is correct, \u4e1c\u897f is worth flagging for learners because it also functions as a mild, informal insult when applied to a person \u2014 calling someone \u4e0d\u662f\u4e1c\u897f (b\u00fa sh\u00ec d\u014dngxi, literally “not a thing”) implies they’re worthless, so the word should be used carefully outside of shopping contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>What Is the “D\u014dng X\u012b N\u00e1n B\u011bi” \u4e1c\u897f\u5357\u5317 Paper Fortune-Teller Game?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of “D\u014dng X\u012b N\u00e1n B\u011bi” (East, West, South, North), it reminds me of another classic piece of Chinese childhood: a simple origami fortune teller game, which is also affectionately called “D\u014dng X\u012b N\u00e1n B\u011bi”<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not just any fortune teller. It’s a folded paper puppet with four flaps. The outside is labeled with the four cardinal directions \u2014 “\u4e1c (East)”, “\u897f (West)”, “\u5357 (South)”, “\u5317 (North)”. Inside the flaps, you write various fortunes or funny commands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how you play:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

  1. A friend picks one of the four directions and a number.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

  2. You alternate opening the puppet horizontally and vertically, counting out the number.<\/p><\/li>\n\n\n\n

  3. Finally, you lift the flap of the chosen direction to reveal the hidden fortune inside!<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Why Do Chinese Addresses Use Directions Instead of Street Numbers?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Chinese place names frequently stack multiple direction words together to pinpoint an exact spot, which can sound like a tongue twister to beginners but functions as a precise address. A commonly heard example is \u5317\u4eac\u897f\u7ad9\u5357\u5e7f\u573a\u4e1c (B\u011bij\u012bng X\u012b Zh\u00e0n N\u00e1n Gu\u01cengch\u01ceng D\u014dng), which breaks down into three parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u5317\u4eac\u897f\u7ad9\u5357\u5e7f\u573a\u4e1c<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Pinyin:<\/strong> B\u011bi j\u012bng X\u012b Zh\u00e0n N\u00e1n Gu\u01ceng ch\u01ceng D\u014dng<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let’s break down this place name!<\/p>\n\n\n\n