往 wǎng, and 從/从 cóng in Chinese

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OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 2
Grammar Point · HSK 2

Showing Direction 1 — 从 cóng & 往 wǎng

往 wǎng shows the direction of movement or the destination (“towards,” “to”), while 从 cóng marks the starting point in place or time (“from,” “since”).

從/从 cóng and 往 wǎng in Chinese

They often team up: 从 cóng + starting point + 往 wǎng / 到 dào + end point, as in “from Taichung to Tainan.”

1往 wǎng

往 wǎng shows the general direction of movement or the destination.

往 wǎng + direction + V

往wǎng前qián走zǒu
Go forward.
往wǎng左zuǒ转zhuǎn
Turn left.
她tā往wǎng公园gōngyuán走zǒu去qù
She’s walking towards the park.
请qǐng你nǐ往wǎng下xià看kàn，我wǒ在zài下面xiàmian
Please look down. I’m down here.

V + 往 wǎng + place

After a movement verb, 往 wǎng marks the destination.

这zhè班bān飞机fēijī会huì飞fēi往wǎng加州Jiāzhōu
This flight is going to California.
你nǐ沿着yánzhe这zhè条tiáo路lù可以kěyǐ开kāi往wǎng温哥华Wēngēhuá
You can drive along this road to Vancouver.
她tā慢慢mànmān地de走zǒu往wǎng医院yīyuàn
She’s slowly walking towards the hospital.
这zhè些xiē水shuǐ最后zuìhòu都dōu会huì流liú往wǎng海hǎi里lǐ
All this water eventually flows into the sea.

2从 cóng

从 cóng marks the starting point of movement or time: “from” or “since.”

从 cóng + time 1 (+ 到 dào + time 2)

我wǒ从cóng8号hào到dào11号hào休假xiūjià，公司gōngsī有事儿yǒushìr也yě不bú要yào联络liánluò我wǒ
I’m on vacation from the 8th to the 11th. Don’t contact me, even if something comes up at work.
台湾Táiwān初中生chūzhōngshēng的de上课shàngkè时间shíjiān是shì从cóng早上zǎoshang7点diǎn半bàn到dào下午xiàwǔ5点diǎn
In Taiwan, junior high students have class from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
我wǒ从cóng2010年nián就jiù一直yìzhí住zhù在zài高雄Gāoxióng
I’ve been living in Kaohsiung since 2010.
他tā从cóng昨天zuótiān就jiù不bù舒服shūfu了le
He’s been feeling unwell since yesterday.

从 cóng + place 1 + 到 dào / 往 wǎng + place 2

从cóng这里zhèlǐ到dào地铁站dìtiězhàn要yào走zǒu多久duōjiǔ？
How long does it take to walk from here to the MRT station?
中文zhōngwén字zì从cóng左zuǒ往wǎng右yòu写xiě
Chinese characters are written from left to right.
这zhè是shì从cóng台中Táizhōng往wǎng台南Táinán的de火车huǒchē
This is the train from Taichung to Tainan.
从cóng我wǒ家jiā往wǎng外wài看kàn，可以kěyǐ看kàn到dào台北Táiběi101
From my home, you can see Taipei 101 when you look outside.

3Common Mistakes

❌ 狗gǒu跑pǎo往wǎng我wǒ
✅ 狗gǒu往wǎng我wǒ这边zhèbian跑pǎo
往 wǎng points to a place or direction, not directly to a person. Add 这边 zhèbiān / 那边 nàbiān after the person.
❌ 我wǒ住zhù在zài高雄Gāoxióng从cóng2010年nián
✅ 我wǒ从cóng2010年nián就jiù住zhù在zài高雄Gāoxióng
Unlike English, 从 cóng + time goes before the verb, not at the end of the sentence.

4Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I’ve been working here since graduation.
我wǒ从cóng毕业bìyè后hòu一直yìzhí在zài这儿zhèr工作gōngzuò。
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02When the boss tells me to go east, I go east. I never complain.
老板lǎobǎn要yào我wǒ往wǎng东dōng走zǒu，我wǒ就jiù往wǎng东dōng走zǒu，从cóng不bù抱怨bàoyuàn。
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03Go forward, then turn right.
往wǎng前qián走zǒu，然后ránhòu往wǎng右yòu转zhuǎn。
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04I came from Taiwan.
我wǒ从cóng台湾Táiwān来lái。
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05He works from 9 to 5.
他tā从cóng九jiǔ点diǎn到dào五wǔ点diǎn上班shàngbān。
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06How long does it take from your home to school?
从cóng你nǐ家jiā到dào学校xuéxiào要yào多久duōjiǔ？
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07Please look up.
请qǐng往wǎng上shàng看kàn。
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08This bus goes to Taipei.
这zhè班bān公交车gōngjiāochē开kāi往wǎng台北Táiběi。
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Related Grammar

→Showing Direction 2 — 向 xiàng(HSK 3) →Showing Direction 3 — 朝 cháo & 沿着 yánzhe(HSK 5)

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