Directions in Chinese
The Chinese word for "directions" is 方向 (fāng xiàng). Below are 41 Chinese words for directions, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 1 to HSK 3, in the order a learner meets them.
Location Words HSK 1 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 上 | shàng | up; above; to go up; previous | 1 |
| 下 | xià | down | 1 |
| 里 | lǐ | lining; interior; inside | 1 |
| 前面 | qián miàn | ahead | 2 |
| 后面 | hòu mian | the back; the rear; the last bit | 2 |
| 在 | zài | at; in; on; to be (located) at | 1 |
Here, There, Where HSK 1 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这儿 | zhèr | here | 1 |
| 那儿 | nàr | there | 1 |
| 哪儿 | nǎr | where | 1 |
| 这里 | zhè lǐ | here (same as 这儿) | 1 |
| 那里 | nà lǐ | there (same as 那儿) | 1 |
| 哪里 | nǎ lǐ | where (same as 哪儿) | 1 |
| 外边 | wài biān | outside | 1 |
Directions and Position HSK 2 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 左边 | zuǒ bian | left | 2 |
| 右边 | yòu bian | right side | 2 |
| 旁边 | páng biān | side; adjacent place | 2 |
| 外 | wài | outside | 1 |
| 近 | jìn | near | 2 |
| 远 | yuǎn | far | 2 |
| 长 | cháng | long; length | 2 |
| 进 | jìn | to go forward; to enter | 2 |
Up, Down, Inside, Outside HSK 2 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 里面 | lǐ miàn | inside | 2 |
| 外面 | wài miàn | outside | 2 |
| 上面 | shàng miàn | on top; above | 2 |
| 下面 | xià miàn | under; below | 2 |
| 上来 | shàng lái | come up (toward the speaker) | 2 |
| 下来 | xià lái | come down (toward the speaker) | 2 |
| 上去 | shàng qù | go up (away from the speaker) | 2 |
| 下去 | xià qù | go down (away from the speaker) | 2 |
Directions & Location HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 东 | dōng | east | 3 |
| 南 | nán | south | 3 |
| 西 | xī | west | 3 |
| 中间 | zhōng jiān | the middle; the inside | 3 |
| 以后 | yǐ hòu | after | 3 |
| 以前 | yǐ qián | before | 3 |
| 马上 | mǎ shàng | at once | 3 |
| 先 | xiān | first; beforehand | 3 |
| 分 | fēn | minute; to divide; to separate | 1 |
| 刻 | kè | quarter (hour) | 3 |
| 半 | bàn | half | 1 |
| 万 | wàn | ten thousand; a great number | 2 |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "directions" in Chinese?
方向 (fāng xiàng), meaning "direction". The most common words in this topic are 上 (shàng, up), 下 (xià, down), 里 (lǐ, lining), 前面 (qián miàn, ahead).
How many Chinese words for directions do I need?
This page lists 41, from HSK 1 to HSK 3. The 6 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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