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Direction Words: 向, 朝, and 往

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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 7432 Intermediate
Direction Words: 向 (xiàng), 朝 (cháo), 往 (wǎng). In this lesson, User john658186522 asked for a more in-depth look at the difference between 向 and 往 and 朝 which can mean towards/facing etc in English. These "direction" words can be tricky in Chinese, as sometimes they can be interchanged, but not always, so it's best to understand which to use in which context. This is an updated video lesson of a previous audio lesson that can be found here, (QW0380).
Constance Fang,Fiona Tian
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SIMPLIFIED PINYIN ENGLISH  
向朝往都跟方向有关单纯地指出方向的时候用法相同但是搭配不同的动作概念的时候就会有微小的差别了
xiàng 向cháo 朝wǎng 往dōu 都gēn 跟fāngxiàng 方向yǒuguān 有关dānchún 单纯de 地zhǐchū 指出fāngxiàng 方向de shíhou 的时候yòngfǎ 用法xiāngtóng 相同dànshì 但是dāpèi 搭配bùtóng 不同de 的dòngzuò 动作gàiniàn 概念de shíhou 的时候jiù 就huì 会yǒu 有wēixiǎo 微小de 的chābié 差别le 了
Xiang4, chao2 and wang3 are all related to "direction". If you are simply using them when giving directions, the usage is the same. However, when paired with different actions, differences begin to emerge.
向往方向动词口语常用用法相同
xiàng 向wǎng 往fāngxiàng 方向dòngcí 动词kǒuyǔ 口语chángyòng 常用yòngfǎ 用法xiāngtóng 相同
Xiang4 or wang3 direction verb : common in spoken Chinese, same usage.
向左转向右转向前走向后看往左转往右转往前走往后看
xiàng 向zuǒzhuǎn 左转xiàng 向yòu zhuǎn 右转xiàngqián 向前zǒu 走xiànghòu 向后kàn 看wǎng 往zuǒzhuǎn 左转wǎng 往yòu zhuǎn 右转wǎng qián zǒu 往前走wǎnghòu 往后kàn 看
Turn left, turn right, walk forward, look back.
N1向N2动词搭配内向性动词比如买借学收要...等等
N1 N1xiàng 向N2 N2dòngcí 动词dāpèi 搭配nèixiàng 内向xìng 性dòngcí 动词bǐrú 比如mǎi 买jiè 借xué 学shōu 收yào 要. .. .. .děngdeng 等等
First noun xiang4 second noun verb: When coupled with an "inward" verb, such as, to buy, to borrow, to learn, to receive, to want...etc.
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