How to Ask for and Understand Directions in Chinese

If you’re going to travel to China, odds are that you will feel a little lost at some point.

This is why it’s so important to know a few key terms that will help you ask for assistance in Chinese.

In this blog post, you’ll learn everything you need to know about asking and understanding directions in Chinese ( 方向 — fāng xiàng), including new words for places to go, basic phrases and more.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

How to Get Directions in Chinese

First, let’s take a look at a few phrases that’ll be critical in helping you form sentences related to placement, locations and directions in Chinese.

Here are some example sentences to help you practice:

超市在哪里？
(chāo shì zài nǎ lǐ?)
Where is the supermarket?

银行离这里远吗？
(yín háng lí zhè lǐ yuǎn ma?)
Is the bank far from here?

从大学到图书馆要多长时间？
(cóng dà xué dào tú shū guǎn yào duō cháng shí jiān?)
How long does it take to get from the university to the library?

Vocabulary for Directions in Chinese

Now that you know how to form basic sentences when it comes to asking for directions, let’s look at specific vocabulary terms that may come up:

Examples:

可以走路到超市吗？
(kě yǐ zǒu lù dào chāo shì ma?)
Can you go to the supermarket by foot?

你需要从北京坐飞机到上海。
(nǐ xū yào cóng běi jīng zuò fēi jī dào shàng hǎi.)
You need to fly from Beijing to Shanghai.

不用担心， 我在路上！
(bú yòng dān xīn, wǒ zài lù shàng!)
Don’t worry, I’m on the way!

Places to Go in Chinese

Here are some of the most common locations you might need to tell someone you’re going to:

Examples:

你还在火车站吗？我找不到你。
(nǐ hái zài huǒ chē zhàn ma? wǒ zhǎo bú dào nǐ.)
Are you still at the train station? I can’t find you.

请问，你可以帮我找博物馆吗？
(qǐng wèn, nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ zhǎo bó wù guǎn ma?)
Excuse me, can you help me find the museum?

那个医院在另一条街。
(nà ge yī yuàn zài lìng yì tiáo jiē.)
That hospital is on the other street.

Location Words in Chinese

When someone is giving you directions or you need to ask where things are in relation to other places, here are some location-based vocabulary that you may need:

Examples:

图书馆在大学的前面。
(tú shū guǎn zài dà xué de qián miàn.)
The library is in front of the university.

医院在餐厅的右边。
(yī yuàn zài cān tīng de yòu biān.)
The hospital is to the right of the restaurant.

我还在火车站。在入口的旁边。
(wǒ hái zài huǒ chē zhàn. zài rù kǒu de páng biān.)
I’m still at the trains station. (I’m) next to the entrance.

So, what’s next now that you know how to talk about, ask for and give directions in Chinese?

It’s time to hit the streets!

For good practice, look out for these phrases when watching Chinese media. Using a resource like FluentU gives you an extra advantage since you can spot and click on direction words and phrases in the interactive subtitles.

Get out there and start asking your way around. You may look like a lost foreigner, but you’re on your way to sounding like a lost local!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And One More Thing...

If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU.

FluentU naturally eases you into learning Chinese language. Native Chinese content comes within reach, and you'll learn Chinese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a wide range of contemporary videos—like dramas, TV shows, commercials and music videos.

FluentU App Browse Screen

FluentU brings these native Chinese videos within reach via interactive captions. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. All words have carefully written definitions and examples that will help you understand how a word is used. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

Interactive Transcripts on FluentU

FluentU's Learn Mode turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning.

FluentU Has Quizzes for Every Video

The best part is that FluentU always keeps track of your vocabulary. It customizes quizzes to focus on areas that need attention and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)