TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Give Directions in Chinese?
1. General Direction
• Sentences for No. 1
2. Making a Turn
3. On the Street
4. Traffic Infrastructure
• Sentences for No. 2 – 4
5. Relative Distance
6. Comparing Distance
• Sentences for No. 5 – 6
7. Direction Guide
8. Inside a Building
• Sentences for No. 7 – 8
9. Sorry, I don’t know how to go to this place
How to Give Directions in Chinese?
Giving directions in Chinese is one of the more difficult subjects for beginners as the possibilities are endless. You cannot anticipate the reply on how to go to a place if you are the one asking for directions. Therefore, you need to acquire a lot of vocabulary relating to directions.
There are also a lot of terms to learn about giving directions in Chinese which 100 common phrases are provided below. Quite a read. I have given an introduction and tips as to why asking, receiving and giving directions in Chinese is one of the great ways to practice listening and speaking Mandarin.
The sentences below on giving directions in Chinese will not have any questions on it since I have covered them in the article on How to Ask for Directions in Chinese. I would recommend you to go through the post first for directional questions and 20 Chinese Direction Words for vocabulary.
Now, I want to focus on giving you more examples and Chinese phrases so that you can receive or give directions with more vocabulary.
Recommended Reading: Geographic Position: How to Say North, South, East, West and Their Inter-Cardinal Points in Chinese?
Giving Directions in Chinese:
General Direction
Front | 前 | Qián |
Back | 后 | Hòu |
Left | 左 | Zuǒ |
Right | 右 | Yòu |
In front | 前面 | Qiánmiàn |
Behind | 后面 | Hòumiàn |
On the left | 左边,左手边 | Zuǒbiān, Zuǒshǒu biān |
On the right | 右边,右手边 | Yòubiān, Yòushǒu biān |
Above | 上面 | Shàngmiàn |
Below | 下面 | Xiàmiàn |
Beside, Next to | 隔壁,旁边 | Gébì, Pángbiān |
Opposite | 对面 | Duìmiàn |
The toilet is above, on the second floor.
厕所在上面二楼。
Cè suǒ zài shàng miàn èr lóu.
The hotel is on the left side of the bank. Below the hotel is a restaurant.
酒店在银行的左边。酒店的下面有间餐馆。
Jiǔ diàn zài yín háng de zuǒ biān. Jiǔ diàn de xià miàn yǒu jiān cān guǎn.
There is a market at the front, next to it is a temple. Behind the temple is a library.
前面有个市场,旁边有座庙。庙的后面就是图书馆了。
Qián miàn yǒu gè shì chǎng, páng biān yǒu zuò miào. Miào de hòu miàn jiù shì tú shū guǎn le.
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Making a Turn
Continue | 一直,继续 | Yīzhí, Jìxù |
Go Straight | 直走,往前走,向前走 | Zhí zǒu, Wǎng qián Zǒu, Xiàng qián zǒu |
Turn left | 转左,左转,往左转,向左转,向左拐 | Zuǒ zhuǎn, Wǎng zuǒ zhuǎn, Xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn, Xiàng zuǒ guǎi, Zhuǎn zuǒ |
Turn right | 转右,右转,往右转,向右转,向右拐 | Yòu Zhuǎn, Wǎng yòu zhuǎn, Xiàng yòu zhuǎn, Xiàng yòu guǎi, Zhuǎn yòu |
Turn around and walk back | 往后走,向后转 | Wǎng hòu zǒu, Xiàng hòu zhuǎn |
Approximately | 大约,大概,左右 | Dàyuē, Dàgài, Zuǒyòu |
Metre | 米 | Mǐ |
Kilometres | 公里 | Gōnglǐ |
Giving Directions in Chinese:
On the Street
Location | 地方,地点 | Dìfāng, Dìdiǎn |
Destination | 目的地 | Mùdì dì |
First Street | 第一条街 | Dì yī tiáo jiē |
Second Street | 第二条街 | Dì èr tiáo jiē |
Third Street | 第三条街 | Dì sān tiáo jiē |
Corner | 街角,拐角处,转角 | Jiējiǎo, Guǎijiǎo chù, Zhuǎnjiǎo |
Another side of the street | 街的另一边 | Jiē de lìng yībiān |
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Traffic Infrastructure
Cross the road | 过马路 | Guò mǎlù |
Traffic Light | 交通灯,红绿灯 | Jiāotōng dēng, Hónglǜdēng |
Zebra Crossing | 斑马线 | Bānmǎxiàn |
Overhead Bridge | 天桥 | Tiānqiáo |
Tunnel | 地下道 | Dìxiàdào |
Roundabout | 环岛 | Huándǎo |
Cross Junction | 十字路口,交叉路口, 十字交叉路口 | Shízìlùkǒu, Jiāochā lùkǒu, Shízì jiāochā lù kǒu |
Road Construction | 道路修建 | Dàolù xiūjiàn |
Road Maintenance | 道路维修 | Dàolù wéixiū |
Go straight. Turn right on the first street. You will then see the bookstore.
你直走,在第一条街转右,你就会看见书局了。
Nǐ zhí zǒu, zài dì yī tiáo jiē zhuǎn yòu, nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn shū jú le.
Continue walking straight. Turn left on the second street. After 50 metres, the bus stop is there.
你一直往前走,在第二条街向左拐。大约30米后, 巴士站就在那里。
Nǐ yī zhí wǎng qián zǒu, zài dì èr tiáo jiē xiàng zuǒ guǎi. Dà yuē 30 mǐ hòu, bā shì zhàn jiù zài nà lǐ.
There is a market at the front, next to it is a temple. Behind the temple is a library.
前面有个市场,旁边有座庙。庙的后面就是图书馆了。
Qián miàn yǒu gè shì chǎng, páng biān yǒu zuò miào. Miào de hòu miàn jiù shì tú shū guǎn le.
After crossing this road, walk towards the left. On the second traffic light, turn right. The company that you are looking for is after the turn.
过了这条马路,朝左边直走。在第二个红绿灯,转右就是你要找的公司了。
Guò le zhè tiáo mǎ lù, cháo zuǒ biān zhí zǒu. Zài dì èr gè hóng lǜ dēng, zhuǎn yòu jiù shì nǐ yào zhǎo de gōng sī le.
Turn right from here and continue walking. There will be a cross junction. In one of the corners, there is a petrol station. The distance is approximately 10 minutes drive, around 5 to 6 km.
在这里转右直走,会有一个十字路口。在十字路口其中一个角落,就有间油站了。路程大概是5分钟驾驶。大约5到6公里。
Zài zhè lǐ zhuǎn yòu zhí zǒu, huì yǒu yī gè shí zì lù kǒu. Zài shí zì lù kǒu qí zhōng yī gè jiǎo luò, jiù yǒu jiān yóu zhàn le. Lù chéng dà gài shì 5 fēn zhōng jià shǐ. Dà yuē 5 dào 6 gōng lǐ.
The museum will take approximately 2 km of walking. Go straight and turn left on the third street. Then, continue walking straight. 15 minutes later, cross an overhead bridge. The museum is straight ahead which is 2 minutes away.
博物馆大概要走两公里路。向前走,在第三街道向左转。然后,一直直走。大约15分钟后,你要走过一座天桥。过了天桥后,往前走两分钟就是博物馆了。
Bó wù guǎn dà gài yào zǒu liǎng gōng lǐ lù. Xiàng qián zǒu, zài dì sān jiē dào xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn. Rán hòu, yī zhí zhí zǒu. Dà yuē 15 fēn zhōng hòu, nǐ yào zǒu guò yī zuò tiān qiáo. Guò le tiān qiáo hòu, wǎng qián zǒu liǎng fēn zhōng jiù shì bó wù guǎn le.
The place that you want to find is 50 metres away from the opposite street. But, you cannot cross the road here due to road construction. Very dangerous. So, you have to go approximately 70 m in front. Cross over a zebra crossing. Walk back again to reach the destination.
你要找的地方就在对面街,大约50米路。可是,这里不能过马路,因为道路修建,很危险。所以,直走大概70米,过斑马线, 再往后走就能到目的地了。
Nǐ yào zhǎo dì dì fāng jiù zài duì miàn jiē, dà yuē 50 mǐ lù. Kě shì, zhè lǐ bù néng guò mǎ lù, yīn wèi dào lù xiū jiàn, hěn wé ixiǎn. Suǒ yǐ, zhí zǒu dà gài 70 mǐ, guò bān mǎ xiàn, zài wǎng hòu zǒu jiù néng dào mù dì dì le.
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Relative Distance
Here | 这里 | Zhèlǐ |
There | 那里 | Nàlǐ |
From here to there | 从这里到那里 | Cóng zhèlǐ dào nàlǐ |
Distance from here | 离这里 | Lí zhèlǐ |
Distance from there | 离那里 | Lí nàlǐ |
Vicinity, Nearby | 附近 | Fùjìn |
Near | 近,靠近 | Jìn, Kàojìn |
Very near | 很近,很靠近 | Hěn jìn, Hěn Kàojìn |
Nearest | 最近,最靠近 | Zuìjìn, Zuì kàojìn |
Far | 远,有一段距离 | Yuǎn, Yǒu yīduàn jùlí |
Very far | 很远 | Hěn yuǎn |
Furthest | 最远 | Zuì yuǎn |
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Comparing Distance
Distance | 距离 | Jù lí |
Very near from here | 很靠近这里, 离这里很近 | Hěn kàojìn zhèlǐ, Lí zhèlǐ hěn jìn |
Not near from here | 离这里不近 | Lí zhèlǐ bù jìn |
Not far from here | 离这里不远 | Lí zhèlǐ bù yuǎn |
Far from here | 离这里很远 | Lí zhèlǐ hěn yuǎn |
A distance away from here | 离这里有一段距离 | Lí zhèli yǒu yīduàn jùlí |
Not very far from here but also not near | 离这里不是很远但也不近 | Lí zhèlǐ bùshì hěn yuǎn dàn yě bù jìn |
不好意思。在中国,我们都不用英里。距离从这里到那里大概是两公里路,走25分钟左右。Bù hǎo yì si. Zài zhōng guó, wǒ men dōu bù yòng yīng lǐ. Jù lí cóng zhè lǐ dào nà lǐ dà gài shì liǎng gōnglǐ lù, zǒu 25 fēn zhōng zuǒ yòu.
From here to the city centre requires 20 minutes, not far from here. It is faster to take a bus which is less than 10 minutes.
从这里走到市中心那里,需要20分钟的时间,离这里不远。你坐公车比较快,路程不到10分钟。
Cóng zhè lǐ zǒu dào shì zhōng xīn nà lǐ, xū yào 20 fēn zhōng de shí jiān, lí zhè lǐ bù yuǎn. Nǐ zuò gōng chē bǐ jiào kuài, lù chéng bù dào 10 fēn zhōng.
From the shopping centre to the swimming pool is near. At the traffic light, cross the road in front of the shopping centre. Walk towards your right for approximately 200 metres. You will then see the swimming pool.
从百货商店去游泳池很近。在商店前面的交通灯过马路,拐右直走200米左右,你就会看见游泳池了。
Cóng bǎi huò shāng diàn qù yóu yǒng chí hěn jìn. Zài shāng diàn qián miàn de jiāo tōng dēng guò mǎ lù, guǎi yòu zhí zǒu 200 mǐ zuǒ yòu, nǐ jiù huì kàn jiàn yóu yǒng chí le.
The nearest subway station is not far from here. Go straight. After a bus stop, cross the road, and you will arrive.
最靠近的地铁站离这里不远。直走,过了一个巴士站后,在过一条马路就到了。
Zuì kào jìn dì dì tiě zhàn lí zhè lǐ bù yuǎn. Zhí zǒu, guò le yī gè bā shì zhàn hòu, zài guò yī tiáo mǎ lù jiù dào le.
The clinic is very near from here. After crossing the road, walk straight. It is just beside the hotel.
诊所很靠近这里。过一条马路后往前走。它就在酒店隔壁。
Zhěn suǒ hěn kào jìn zhè lǐ.Guò yī tiáo mǎ lù hòu wǎng qián zǒu. Tā jiù zài jiǔ diàn gé bì.
The school that you want to go is very far from here. You cannot reach there by walking.
你要去的那间学校离这里很远。步行是不会到的。
Nǐ yào qù dì nà jiān xué xiào lí zhè lǐ hěn yuǎn. Bù xíng shì bù huì dào de.
The train station is a distance away from the city centre. Walk towards the other street for 10 minutes. Turn right at the corner of the flyover. Continue walking for 10 minutes. The train station is in the vicinity.
火车站离市中心有一段距离。往另一条街走10分钟,再天桥拐角处向右转,继续走10分钟。火车站就在那里附近。
Huǒ chē zhàn lí shì zhōng xīn yǒu yī duàn jù lí. Wǎng lìng yī tiáo jiē zǒu 10 fēn zhōng, zài tiān qiáo guǎi jiǎo chù xiàng yòu zhuǎn, jì xù zǒu 10 fēn zhōng. Huǒ chē zhàn jiù zài nà lǐ fù jìn.
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Direction Guide
Towards, To | 向,朝,往 | Xiàng, Cháo, Wǎng |
Direction | 方向 | Fāngxiàng |
This direction | 这个方向 | Zhège Fāngxiàng |
That direction | 那个方向 | Nàgè fāngxiàng |
According, Follow | 照 | Zhào |
Walk according to this direction | 照这个方向走 | Zhào zhège fāngxiàng zǒu |
Follow that direction | 照那个方向走 | Zhào nàgè fāngxiàng zǒu |
Sense of Direction | 方向感 | Fāngxiàng gǎn |
Lost One’s Way | 迷失方向,迷路 | Míshī fāngxiàng, Mílù |
Giving Directions in Chinese:
Inside a Building
Before | 之前 | Zhīqián |
After, Beyond | 之后,过了 | Zhīhòu, Guòle |
Walk past, Exceeded | 超过,走过头 | Chāoguò, Zǒu Guòtóu |
Building | 大厦 | Dàshà |
Level, Storey | 层 | Céng |
Stairs | 楼梯 | Lóutī |
Go up the stairs, Upstairs | 上楼 | Shànglóu |
Go down the stairs, Downstairs | 下楼 | Xià lóu |
Lift, Elevator | 电梯 | Diàntī |
You will see a hospital after walking straight. After that, McDonald is around the corner.
你直走会看到一家医院。过了医院之后,麦当劳就在附近。
Nǐ zhí zǒu huì kàn dào yī jiā yī yuàn. Guò le yī yuàn zhī hòu, mài dāng láo jiù zài fù jìn.
There is a well-known restaurant before the traffic light. You can try the food over there.
在红绿灯之前有间很著名的中餐馆,你们可以到那里试试看。
Zài hóng lǜ dēng zhī qián yǒu jiān hěn zhù míng de zhōng cān guǎn, nǐ men kě yǐ dào nà lǐ shì shì kàn.
Continue to walk this direction, cross the road in front of the hawker centre. Opposite is the dental clinic which you are searching.
你一直朝这个方向走,在小贩中心前面过马路。对面就是你要找的牙医诊所了。
Nǐ yīzhí cháo zhè ge fāng xiàng zǒu, zài xiǎo fàn zhōng xīn qián miàn guò mǎ lù. Duì miàn jiù shì nǐ yào zhǎo de yá yī zhěn suǒ le.
You have walked beyond the location. On the opposite road, walk back. After 50 metres at a cross junction, turn right. The building is on your left-hand side after the turn.
你已经走超过了地点。往对面的方向,向后直走。50米后看见交叉路口转右。大厦就在你的左手边。
Nǐ yǐj īng zǒu chāo guò le dì diǎn. Wǎng duì miàn de fāng xiàng, xiàng hòu zhí zǒu. 50 mǐ hòu kàn jiàn jiāo chā lù kǒu zhuǎn yòu. Dà shà jiù zài nǐ de zuǒ shǒu biān.
You have not walked past the shop. Continue walking straight. The shop is inside a blue building.
你还没走过头。那间商店还没到。继续直走。商店就在一栋蓝色的大厦里面。
Nǐ hái méi zǒu guò tóu. Nà jiān shāng diàn hái méi dào. Jì xù zhí zǒu. Shāng diàn jiù zài yī dòng lán sè de dà shà lǐ miàn.
The martial arts school is on the 8th floor. Take a lift to the 10th level. Walk down two flights of stairs. On the 8th floor, walk towards the left. The first door is the martial arts school.
武术馆在8楼。坐电梯到10楼,然后下两层楼。到8楼时,向左走。第一道门就是武术馆了。
Wǔ shù guǎn zài 8 lóu. Zuò diàn tī dào 10 lóu, rán hòu xià liǎng céng lóu. Dào 8 lóu shí, xiàng zuǒ zǒu. Dì yī dào mén jiù shì wǔ shù guǎn le.
Sorry, I Do Not Know How to Go to This Place
When someone asks you for directions which you do know the way or find it too complicated to explain in Chinese, here are some sentences that you can tell the other party. Well, don’t use it unless it is your last resort.
Sorry, I do not know how to go to this place.
对不起,我不知道怎么去这个地方。
Duì bù qǐ, wǒ bù zhī dào zěn me qù zhè ge dì fāng.
Excuse me. I do not know how to go. You can ask that person.
不好意思,我不会去。你可以问那个人。
Bù hǎo yì si, wǒ bù huì qù. Nǐ kě yǐ wèn nà gè rén.
Sorry, I’m not very sure of the direction. You better ask somebody else. I am afraid to give you the wrong direction. Excuse me (for my ignorance).
对不起,我不是很清楚方向。你还是问别人吧。我怕给你错的方向。不好意思。
Duì bù qǐ, wǒ bù shì hěn qīng chǔ fāng xiàng. Nǐ hái shì wèn bié rén ba. Wǒ pà gěi nǐ cuò de fāng xiàng. Bù hǎo yì si.
Pardon. I am also a tourist and unfamiliar with this place.
不好意思,我也是游客,对这里不熟。
Bù hǎo yì si, wǒ yě shì yóu kè, duì zhè lǐ bù shú.