Chinese Language Learning Program Lesson 200 -- What is the defference among 向(xiàng),往(wǎng) and 朝(cháo) in Chinese

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 200 – What is the defference among 向(xiàng),往(wǎng) and 朝(cháo) in Chinese

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time we learned about how to use 拿 (ná), 带 (dài) and取(qǔ) in Chinese. Today, we will learn what is the defference among 向(xiàng),往(wǎng) and 朝(cháo) in Chinese.

These three prepositions all can be used to indicate direction or position. When these prepositions are used before the verb with the same structure, their meanings are the same. At other times, however, they are used differently.

向(xiàng) / 往(wǎng) / 朝(cháo) + specific direction + Verb.

For example:

1.   wǎng/cháo/xiàng qián zǒu shí fēn zhōng jiù dào le.

往  /   朝  /   向      前    走    十  分      钟     就   到  了。

         (Walk forward for ten minutes, you will be there.)

2.   Xiǎo Líng xià chē hòu xiàng/wǎng/cháo zuǒ kàn kàn

  小     玲    下   车    后     向  /     往  /   朝     左    看    看

yòu xiàng/wǎng/cháo yòu kàn kàn cái guò mǎ lù.

 又       向 /    往  /    朝     右   看    看    才   过   马  路.

(After got off the bus, Xiaoling looked left and then looked right before crossing the street.)

3.   cóng zhè lǐ xiàng/ cháo/ wǎng běi zǒu wǔ shí mǐ jiù dào le.

   从     这里    向  /    朝  /     往     北   走   五  十   米 就   到 了。

(Go fifty meters north from here, and you'll get there.)

4.   wǒ kàn jiàn tā men xiàng/ cháo/ wǎng nǐ jiā de fāng

 我   看   见   他   们     向  /    朝  /     往    你 家  的  方

xiàng qù le.

向   去 了。

          (I saw them going towards the direction of your home.)

向 and 往 can be used after the verb, however it has to be used with an appropriate verb. These verbs are 开, 飞, 发, 运, 送, 寄, 带, 驶 etc. As you can see, these words at least express some motions. In addition, compared to 向, 往 is used more often with those verbs, because 往 expresses the destination while 向 mostly expresses a direction, 朝 cannot be used this way.

Verb + 向(xiàng) / 往(wǎng) + specific direction

1.   zhè tàng háng bān fēi xiàng / wǎng běi jīng.

  这   趟      航     班   飞    向   /     往    北   京。

(This plane is flying to Beijing.)

2.   yī liàng hóng sè de xiǎo jiào chē màn man di cóng

一   辆      红    色 的   小    轿    车    慢     慢   地   从

běi shǐ xiàng nán.

 北   驶     向    南。

(A red limo slowly went from North to South.)

3.   yī zhǐ xiǎo niǎo fēi xiàng tiān kōng.

一 只    小    鸟   飞     向     天     空。

(A little bird flys into the sky.)

When the action that takes place is specified to a specific target, 向 or 朝 will be used. 往 cannot be used this way. Also, when the verb is a concrete action, the use of 向 and 朝 are the same, and they can be exchanged.

向(xiàng) / 朝(cháo) + the object of the action + verbs that describe concrete actions

1.   tā cháo/xiàng wǒ huī le huī shǒu.

她   朝  /    向    我    挥了  挥    手。

(She waved to me.)

2.   wǒ xiàng/cháo tā zhǎ le zhǎ yǎn jīng.

我     向   /   朝   她   眨了   眨   眼   睛。

(I winked at her.)

3.   tā xiàng / cháo wǒ rēng guò lái yī gè ping guǒ.

她   向    /    朝    我   扔      过  来 一 个   苹     果。

(She threw an apple to me.)

When the verb has an abstract meaning, you can only use 向, and you cannot use 朝.

向(xiàng) + Direction + Abstract Verb

1.   xiǎo lín xiàng tā lǎo shī jiě shì le tā jīn tiān wèi

 小    林    向    他 老   师  解  释 了 他 今  天    为

shé me chí dào le.

  什  么   迟   到  了。

2.   qǐng yǔn xǔ wǒ xiàng gè wèi biǎo shì qiàn yì.

  请    允   许  我     向    各   位   表    示    歉  意。

(Please allow me to apologize to all of you.)

3.   zài běi jīng,  tā céng xiàng tā dà xiàn yīn qín.

 在  北   京，他    曾      向    她 大   献    殷  勤。

(He courted her assiduously when he was in Beijing.)

4.   tā shì yōu xiù yuán gōng, wǒ men dōu yào xiàng tā

他  是   优   秀    员      工，  我   们     都   要      向    他  

xué xí.

  学 习。

(He is an excellent employee, we should learn from him.)

Homework:

1.   nǐ xiàn zài shì kāi  (  )  shì zhōng xīn ma?

你  现    在  是   开   ( )   市     中     心   吗？

(Are you driving to downtown now?)

2.   (  ) xiǎo lín xué xí!

 ( )   小   林   学 习！

(Learn from Xiaolin!)

3.   tā  (  )  wǒ xiào le.

         他   ( )  我    笑  了。

         (He smiled at me.)

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè xiè!

 谢  谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià cì jiàn

 下 次 见!  (See you next time!)